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SS Portrait of Susan Shafer

Susan Shafer

Empowering practical change with evidence-based care

LCMHC, LPC New Jersey

Experience
15 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Anger
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Susan

About Susan

Susan Shafer is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who brings 15 years of clinical experience to her work in New Jersey. She blends cognitive behavioral techniques with client-centered and mindfulness-informed practices to help people address symptoms of anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma, and stress.

Background and approach

Her training and years in varied settings inform a practical approach that emphasizes awareness of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors while drawing on the client’s existing strengths.

She also integrates solution-focused strategies and motivational interviewing to support clients navigating life transitions, grief, relationship and family concerns, parenting challenges, career and financial stress, and issues such as ADHD, addictions, or impulse-related difficulties. Sessions may include psychoeducation, breath and movement elements, and gentle skills practice to strengthen coping and emotional regulation.

Susan holds a master’s degree in community counseling and is licensed as an LCMHC and LPC. She offers sessions in English and provides online formats including video, phone, live chat, and text-based messaging.

Prospective clients can begin by completing a brief matching questionnaire and scheduling according to her availability.

Practical therapeutic approaches for online care

Client-centered therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental listening stance that helps clients feel heard and supported; it focuses on building a trusting alliance and clarifying the client’s goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers concrete strategies to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, often useful for anxiety, depression, and mood regulation. Mindfulness therapy teaches present-moment awareness and gentle attention to thoughts and bodily sensations to reduce reactivity and improve emotional balance.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work together with each client to explore which methods align with their needs, goals, and preferences, and may combine elements from different approaches to create a tailored plan for progress.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging increases flexibility by fitting sessions into varied schedules and offering multiple ways to connect. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care from home, work, or while traveling and allow therapists to use worksheets, guided practices, and real-time coaching in ways that support ongoing skill building.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she help with?
Susan works with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, stress, grief, relationship and family problems, ADHD, and mood disorders among others.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style combines client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral tools, mindfulness practices, and solution-focused techniques to build coping skills and increase self-awareness.
How long has she been practicing?
She brings 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families across a variety of clinical settings.
Where is she licensed and based?
She practices in New Jersey and holds the credentials LCMHC and LPC with license details NC LCMHC 8482 and NJ LPC 37PC00876900.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are provided in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Clients can meet through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their preference and scheduling.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What do I need to do to begin working together?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session based on the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseAnger managementSelf esteemCoping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationFamily problemsFirst responder issuesGuilt and shameImpulsivityLife purposeMoney and financial issuesMood disordersPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

15+ years

Licensed

North Carolina, New Jersey

Languages

English