About Paula
Paula Sussman is a licensed clinical social worker with three decades of experience helping people navigate life’s harder moments. Paula practices in Colorado and focuses on practical steps people can take to feel steadier and more in control. She welcomes straightforward conversations and aims to make therapy feel understandable and useful.
Her work centers on stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, grief, low self-esteem, and adjusting to major life changes. Paula also supports people facing aging and geriatric issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness or pain, and end-of-life concerns.
Background and approach
She helps adults wrestling with emptiness, guilt, forgiveness, isolation, and questions about life purpose. In sessions she listens closely to each person’s story and priorities. Paula uses client-centered methods that follow the person’s lead, motivational interviewing to clarify what matters most, and solution-focused steps to build momentum.
She keeps explanations plain and offers small, doable goals between sessions. Paula brings warmth, compassion, and a gentle sense of humor to her work. She pays attention to strengths and practical resources people already have.
Her style is steady and encouraging, with an emphasis on helping people regain energy and direction. Paula meets with adults across Colorado by phone and video and through text-based options. If someone prefers a brief chat to learn more, she invites a message to discuss scheduling and fit.
Approaches that guide online work and progress
Client-Centered Therapy puts the person’s own experience at the center. The therapist follows the person’s lead, listens without judgment, and helps clarify what matters most. This approach is useful when someone needs understanding and support to find their own path.Motivational Interviewing focuses on finding and strengthening a person’s own reasons to change. It uses curious, respectful conversation to help resolve mixed feelings and set clear, achievable goals. This method often helps with taking the first steps through transitions or difficult decisions.
Paula aims to collaborate on choosing the best approach. She will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. Together they adjust methods over time so the work stays relevant and practical.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls allow face-to-face conversations, phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited, live chat provides a quick check-in, and text-based messaging supports brief updates or ongoing reflections between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between meetings.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Paula address?
How would you describe her therapy style?
How long has she worked in this field?
What are her credentials and where is she based?
Which languages are available for sessions?
Can people outside the United States work with her?
What session formats does she offer?
How are fees and starting therapy handled?
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
Also works with
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- Colorado
- Languages
- English