Susan Shafer , LCMHC, LPC

Susan Shafer is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor who offers practical, person-focused therapy. She works with people facing anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, grief, and major life changes. Susan practices in New Jersey and brings 15 years of clinical experience to her approach.

Susan emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental space where clients can speak frankly. She helps people notice how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. Sessions often include concrete tools clients can try between meetings to manage stress and mood.

Her work blends Client-Centered Therapy with techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness. She also uses Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy when those approaches fit a client’s goals. The focus is on practical change rather than labels or jargon.

When helpful, Susan teaches breathing and movement exercises to reduce tension and improve emotional regulation. She also supports people exploring attachment, codependency, communication problems, and issues around intimacy and parenting. Clients who are coping with career stress, financial worries, or compassion fatigue may find this helpful.

Susan aims to partner with each person to set clear goals and identify small steps forward. She explains options, suggests simple experiments, and checks what works. Many people come for short-term relief and some stay longer for deeper change.

How Susan's Approaches Work Online

Susan blends Client-Centered Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness practices. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship so clients can find their own answers. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at unhelpful thoughts and teaches small skills to change them, which helps with anxiety, depression, and mood problems. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices that reduce reactivity and improve sleep and stress management.

Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences, try an approach, and adjust based on what helps. That trial-and-see method makes it easier to find practical strategies that fit daily life.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and demonstrations of breathing or movement exercises. Phone sessions can be a good, lower-bandwidth option for focused check-ins. Live chat and text messaging work well for quick reflections, brief coaching, or between-session support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, parenting, or travel schedules.