Susan Csank , LISW

Susan Csank is a licensed social worker with 23 years of experience helping people manage addiction, mood concerns, relationship challenges, and life transitions. She holds the LISW credential - Licensed Independent Social Worker - and also has training in chemical dependency counseling, bringing long experience in both individual and group work across mental health and substance use settings.

Her practice blends practical skills training with empathy and motivational support. She draws on approaches such as Motivational Interviewing to strengthen readiness for change, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and mindfulness-based techniques to foster present-moment coping. Susan has extensive experience supporting family members and friends of people with addiction or mental illness, addressing issues like codependency, communication breakdowns, and traumatic responses.

In sessions she creates a supportive space to explore concerns, clarify goals, and try concrete strategies for coping. Education about healthy coping skills is part of her work, as is helping clients develop tools that fit their daily lives. Her focus includes a wide range of concerns - from anxiety, depression, and grief to relationship and parenting challenges - with attention to practical steps people can use between sessions.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Susan uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients recognize patterns of thinking that contribute to distress and to practice alternative thoughts and behaviors. CBT is practical and problem-focused, often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues.

She also integrates Mindfulness Therapy to teach simple attention and breathing practices that reduce reactivity and increase emotional awareness. Mindfulness techniques can support coping with intrusive thoughts, intense emotions, and ongoing stressors.

Motivational Interviewing is another core component of her work - a collaborative, nonjudgmental way of exploring readiness for change and strengthening personal motivation. It can be especially helpful for people facing substance use concerns or ambivalence about changing patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. She works collaboratively with clients and licensed professionals to identify methods that fit each person’s needs, goals, and preferences, adapting strategies over time as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone, and therapists can follow up via live chat or text-based messaging when appropriate. These options make it easier to access care around work, family, and other commitments while keeping therapy focused and practical.