About Susan
Susan O'Connell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 35 years of experience based in Wisconsin. She started her career focusing on addictions and has since broadened her practice to include depression, stress, anxiety, grief, and relationship problems. Susan aims to meet people where they are and help them find practical steps forward.
She draws on long experience with caregiver strain and compassion fatigue, and she also supports people facing chronic medical issues and life transitions.
Background and approach
Her approach emphasizes identifying strengths and building simple plans to manage day-to-day challenges. Sessions often include education and small homework tasks to reinforce progress between meetings. Susan uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a key part of her work, alongside client-centered and solution-focused methods.
She tailors these approaches to each person’s goals and routines rather than following a fixed formula. The result is a straightforward style that focuses on what can change now. People who reach out can expect a practitioner who values realistic steps and steady problem-solving.
She speaks plainly and tries to honor the effort it takes to ask for help. Susan also notes she maintains a healthy lifestyle and models the habits she recommends. Her background includes long-term work with substance use concerns and family members affected by addiction.
She continues to update her skills and stays current with newer ideas used in practice.
Approaches and how online sessions can help
Susan integrates Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening, empathy, and helping people clarify their own goals. This approach is helpful for people who want a supportive, nonjudgmental space to sort out feelings and choices.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. CBT helps with anxiety, depression, stress, and many everyday challenges by teaching practical skills and small behavior changes.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels manageable, then try methods that match those needs. Decisions about pacing and techniques are made collaboratively so the plan fits the person’s life.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let people use visual cues and face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or camera use is a concern. Live chat and messaging offer quick check-ins or ongoing written support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and different daily routines.
Questions people ask
What concerns does she help with?
What is her general therapy style?
How much experience does she have?
What credential and location information is provided?
Which languages and international options are available?
What session formats does she offer?
How does payment and cost work?
How do I get started with therapy?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Grief
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Parenting issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 35 years
- Licensed
- Wisconsin
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.