- Stress and anxiety
- Self esteem support
- Relationship help
About Susan
Susan MacDonald is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in Rhode Island who focuses on work and wellbeing concerns like stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. She helps people strengthen self-esteem, manage depression, and improve relationship and communication patterns. Her approach begins with building a respectful, nonjudgmental space so people can speak honestly about what feels hard right now.
With 14 years of experience, Susan draws on several practical methods to help people make steady changes. She uses client-centered listening to understand each person’s priorities and goals. She also weaves in cognitive behavioral tools to shift unhelpful thoughts and DBT strategies for managing intense emotions and improving relationships.
Susan emphasizes short-term, actionable steps alongside deeper exploration of patterns that have caused pain. Sessions often include setting realistic goals, practicing new communication skills, and developing plans for handling stressful moments. She supports people working through life transitions like divorce, midlife shifts, and changes in purpose or direction.
She also addresses issues such as codependency, family of origin concerns, guilt and shame, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, panic attacks, and trauma-related struggles. Susan will listen to what matters most to you and adjust the pace to match your needs.
Her overall aim is to empower people to make changes that fit their daily lives. If you want straightforward guidance and steady support for work and wellbeing challenges, Susan offers a collaborative, goal-focused style.
How therapeutic approaches shape online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person's priorities. It creates space for people to describe what matters, and helps the therapist and client set goals together. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches specific exercises to change them, which can help with anxiety, depression, and panic symptoms.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Susan will talk with clients about their goals and preferences and then tailor methods to fit those needs. That means trying practical CBT exercises for immediate symptom relief or using client-centered listening and motivational interviewing to build longer-term changes, depending on what feels most useful.
Confirm the available session options before booking, as formats are not detailed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and remove the need to travel to an appointment. Licensed professionals can also guide mindfulness or emotion-regulation skills across sessions so people can practice between meetings and apply what they learn to everyday work and wellbeing challenges.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Credentials
Rhode Island
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
Susan helps with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and communication problems, and coping with life changes. She also works with issues like codependency, family of origin concerns, and feelings of emptiness.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She uses a client-centered style that focuses on listening and collaboration, and blends practical techniques from CBT and DBT to teach coping skills. Mindfulness and motivational interviewing are used when helpful to support change.
How much experience does she have?
She has 14 years of professional experience working with people on stress, mood concerns, relationships, and life transitions.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a licensed mental health counselor, LMHC, practicing in Rhode Island.
Can sessions be conducted in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.