Susan MacDonald

Susan MacDonald is a licensed mental health counselor in Rhode Island who helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. She focuses on practical steps that make daily life feel more manageable. Susan aims to create a calm space where people can talk honestly about what they are feeling and thinking.

She brings 14 years of experience to the work and emphasizes straightforward, relatable conversations. Sessions are about setting realistic goals and practicing small skills that build confidence. Susan listens first, then offers tools that match each person's pace and needs.

Susan uses a mix of approaches, including client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, and mindfulness practices. That mix lets her combine insight-focused talk with hands-on strategies for coping and mood management. She also draws on dialectical strategies and motivational interviewing when clients need help with emotion regulation or building motivation.

People come to her for a range of concerns such as relationship struggles, codependency, family of origin issues, midlife questions, and recovery from loss or separation. Narcissism and patterns related to it are also within her stated focus areas. She supports people working through shame, isolation, panic, obsessive thoughts, and life transitions.

Susan aims to help people find clearer direction and steadier days. Her approach is collaborative and paced to the individual. If you want someone who will listen without judgment and offer concrete ways to move forward, she may be a good fit.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on empathetic listening and collaboration. The therapist follows the person's lead, helps clarify concerns, and supports self-directed change; it is useful when someone needs acceptance and clearer decision making.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behavior and offers practical exercises to shift them. It is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, and unhelpful relationship patterns because it gives clear steps to try between sessions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches emotion regulation and coping skills for intense states. It can help people who feel overwhelmed by strong emotions or who struggle with repeated crises.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and then suggest which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and can be adjusted as progress and needs change.

Confirm current session options before booking so you know how sessions are held. Online therapy can make scheduling easier and help fit care into busy days. It can also allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, reduce travel time, and let people join from quieter surroundings that work for them.