Susan "Susie" Maguire , LCPC

Susan "Susie" Maguire is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois with 12 years of experience. She focuses on helping people who are dealing with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and relationship concerns. Susie also offers affirmative support for LGBT clients and attends to women's issues within therapy.

She keeps sessions straightforward and practical. People talk through stressful situations, learn calmer responses to anxiety, and work on building self-compassion. Conversations often include coping plans for mood shifts, strategies for social anxiety, and steps to strengthen day-to-day functioning.

Susie pays attention to family of origin issues and caregiver stress. She helps people untangle old patterns that keep showing up in relationships. When gender dysphoria or sexuality topics come up, she aims to listen and validate individual experience.

Many clients bring worries about isolation, guilt, or midlife changes. Susie breaks these down into manageable goals and small, achievable actions. She also supports those facing postpartum depression or seasonal mood changes with practical routines and check-ins.

Therapy can use different formats to fit a person’s life. Sessions may be shorter check-ins or longer weekly conversations. The focus is on steady progress and finding what works for each person.

Approaches and How Online Therapy Works

Susan uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques focused on practical help and clear goals. One common approach she uses is problem-focused work that identifies specific stressors and builds step-by-step coping strategies; this helps with anxiety, workplace stress, and daily overwhelm. Another emphasis is mood-focused support that looks at routines, activity planning, and small behavior changes to ease depressive symptoms and seasonal low moods.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist will work together with each person to identify goals, try methods that fit their needs, and adjust the plan as progress is made. This collaborative stance helps people feel involved in deciding what works best for them.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits for this work. Video calls allow longer sessions with face-to-face interaction when discussing sensitive identity or relationship topics. Phone sessions can be a good alternative when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging suit shorter check-ins, coping skill practice, or scheduling quick support between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, or other commitments.