About Susan
Susan Sparks is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, ADHD, grief, depression, and life changes. She speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps parents and individuals can use right away. Susan draws on ten years of clinical experience and a longer history of community work to guide each person toward clearer routines and coping tools.
She earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois in 2011 and became an Illinois LCSW in 2013.
Background and approach
Her background includes decades of community volunteer work and direct support with children and adults in varied settings. That mix of experience informs how she plans sessions and sets realistic goals. Susan uses several evidence-based techniques to address behavior, mood, and attention concerns.
In sessions she helps people break problems into smaller steps, practice new skills, and try out strategies between meetings. She also draws on play-based methods when working with younger clients. Sessions focus on practical change rather than long lectures.
Susan helps clients set achievable targets for sleep, eating, parenting routines, and daily structure. She also supports people working through trauma, relationship difficulties, and the strain of caregiving. Her approach treats each person as resourceful and capable.
Susan helps clients notice strengths they already have and build from there. The goal is clearer thinking, steadier routines, and better coping with life’s ups and downs.
How evidence-based methods adapt to online care
Susan commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. CBT often focuses on small experiments, sleep and routine adjustments, and step-by-step plans that translate well to remote sessions.She also uses play-based and behavioral approaches when appropriate, especially for younger clients or when behavior change is the priority. These methods use simple activities, rewards, and clear routines to shape daily habits and reduce disruptive behaviors.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will ask about your goals, daily routines, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together you’ll try approaches that fit your needs and adjust them over time based on what helps most.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules. Video is useful for longer weekly sessions and skill practice, phone can be easier on low bandwidth days, live chat suits brief check-ins, and text messaging works for quick questions or ongoing support between sessions. These options help people work therapy into school, work, or family routines.
Questions people ask
What concerns can Susan help with?
What is her general therapeutic style?
How much experience does she have?
What credentials and region does she practice in?
Which languages are sessions offered in?
What formats are available for sessions?
How does payment and cost work?
How do I start working with her?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.