About Susan
Susan O'Connell is a licensed clinical social worker in Wisconsin with 35 years of experience. She started her career focusing on addictions and has broadened her practice to include depression, stress, anxiety, grief, and relationship concerns. She emphasizes a warm, practical approach and helps people take the first steps toward change.
She meets people where they are and helps them identify strengths. Together they make clear, manageable plans for change.
Background and approach
She uses education and homework to build on what happens in sessions. Susan has worked with caregiver strain, compassion fatigue, and chronic medical issues. She also supports people facing life transitions, career questions, and challenges around intimacy and self-esteem.
Her background includes long experience with substance use and family-of-origin concerns. Her way of working is collaborative and straightforward. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered methods, and Solution-Focused techniques to shape sessions.
The goal is practical tools and clearer thinking rather than jargon. Sessions are offered in English and available by video calls, phone, live chat, or text messaging. Susan notes that scheduling is primarily midweek and Saturdays, so people who need evenings may want a different schedule.
She asks clients to pick Start Therapy and complete a short matching questionnaire to begin.
How Susan’s Approaches Work Online
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to each person's experience. It helps people feel heard and helps shape goals based on their values and strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thought patterns and behaviors and teaches practical skills to reduce stress and anxiety. Solution-Focused Therapy zeroes in on small, realistic steps that move someone toward their goals quickly and with less emphasis on long history.Susan aims to find the best fit by working together with each person. She asks about needs, goals, and preferences and then suggests which methods to try. Together they check what helps and adjust the plan as needed rather than assuming one way will suit everyone.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video is useful for a fuller conversation, phone works well when bandwidth is limited, live chat or text can fit short check-ins or busy schedules. These options let people meet with a licensed professional without travel and make it easier to find time for regular work on goals.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
What is her general therapy style?
How long has she worked in this field?
What are her credentials and where is she based?
Which languages are offered for sessions?
What session formats are available?
How does billing and cost work?
How do I begin working with her?
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- 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