Susan Herbert , LMFT

Susan Herbert is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with four years of clinical experience. She helps people facing addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, LGBT concerns, and family conflict. Her approach is respectful and compassionate, and she aims to create a practical plan that fits each person's life.

Susan keeps conversations direct and focused so people can make steady progress. She listens for what matters most and then suggests small steps that feel doable. Sessions emphasize clearer communication, healthier boundaries, and coping skills for intense emotions.

She also supports people dealing with feelings of abandonment, attachment wounds, caregiver stress, guilt, and shame. Susan helps clients explore life purpose, self-love, and sexuality in ways that respect individual values and identity. Pregnancy, childbirth, workplace strain, and post-traumatic stress are additional areas she addresses.

Therapy sessions are tailored to each person rather than following a one-size-fits-all script. Susan collaborates with clients to set practical goals and to pick strategies that match their pace. The work can include short-term problem-solving or longer-term healing, depending on what the client needs.

Susan works in English and practices within California. She describes therapy as a partnership where the client’s voice guides the process. Her aim is to help people feel more capable, less stuck, and clearer about their next steps.

Evidence-based approaches and online care

Many clients find benefit from brief, skill-focused work that targets specific problems. One common approach Susan uses emphasizes building coping skills for strong emotions and cravings; it teaches practical strategies to manage urges, stress, and difficult moments so people can function better day to day. A second approach focuses on attachment and relational patterns, helping people notice how past relationships shape current reactions and then practice clearer communication and healthier boundaries.

Finding the right way to work together is part of the process. Susan will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, then try methods that match those needs. She treats the choice of approach as collaborative and adjusts plans as progress unfolds.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video works well for conversations that benefit from face-to-face interaction. Phone sessions can be lighter on bandwidth and easier to fit into a work break. Live chat and messaging can support brief check-ins, ongoing support between longer sessions, and people who prefer written communication. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around a busy life.