Susan Lipkin , LISW

Susan Lipkin, LISW, focuses on helping people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, relationship troubles, grief, or life changes. She works with those coping with trauma, depression, self-esteem struggles, parenting challenges, and concerns related to LGBT issues. Her tone is direct and practical, aiming to make starting therapy feel simple and manageable.

Susan brings 36 years of experience in social work and clinical settings. She has worked in private practice, community mental health centers, psychiatric hospitals, and veteran services. Over the years she has supported people affected by sexual and physical abuse, domestic violence, infertility-related stress, and challenges tied to aging.

Her style is client-centered, which means she listens first and follows what the client says works best. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and narrative techniques when those approaches fit a person's needs. Susan believes flexibility helps people get what they need at different stages of care.

Sessions are focused on concrete steps and clear goals. Conversations often include identifying unhelpful thinking patterns, building coping skills, and creating small behavior changes that make daily life easier. She aims to offer warmth, acceptance, and a nonjudgmental space for people to talk through hard topics.

Susan works with adults facing a range of life and relationship concerns. Her background includes work with survivors of trauma and people navigating major transitions. She intends to meet people where they are and tailor the work to each person’s priorities.

Approaches that guide online work

Susan commonly draws on Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in online sessions. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and following what the person says they need, which helps establish goals and build trust. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and uses practical exercises to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression.

She also uses mindfulness techniques to help people notice their thoughts and feelings without getting swept up in them. Mindfulness can be useful for stress, mood regulation, and coping with difficult memories. Together these approaches give a mix of acceptance, skill-building, and concrete strategies that can be adapted as the work unfolds.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Susan works collaboratively to decide which methods fit a person's needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress is made. Clients and the therapist check in about what helps and what should change so the work stays practical and relevant.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is good for more in-depth conversation, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and chat or messaging can work for brief check-ins or moments when writing feels clearer. These options aim to make therapy fit into busy schedules and different daily routines.