Susan Ryder

Susan Ryder is a licensed clinical professional counselor with 17 years of experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and major life changes. She also supports those dealing with grief, compassion fatigue, addictions, and challenges tied to aging and caregiving.

Susan centers sessions on each person's story and strengths. She uses clear, practical conversation to help people find what works in day-to-day life. Clients can expect straightforward collaboration and an emphasis on their preferences and goals.

Her background includes long-term clinical work in Maine, where she developed experience with relationship and communication problems, blended family dynamics, and issues related to separation and divorce. She also addresses intimacy-related concerns, parenting stress, and first responder issues.

Susan draws on approaches such as client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral methods, motivational interviewing, narrative work, and solution-focused strategies. She brings these tools to problems like process addictions, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, and feelings of isolation.

People who contact Susan typically want practical steps and a respectful space to talk through hard topics. To begin, she asks people to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

Approaches that guide online counseling

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following the person’s needs. The therapist asks questions, reflects what she hears, and helps the person identify their own strengths and choices. This approach works well for people who want a respectful, nonjudgmental space to sort through emotions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It uses practical exercises and small experiments to change patterns that keep someone stuck, and it is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.

Motivational interviewing is a brief, goal-focused style that helps people find internal reasons to change. It can be helpful for addictions, motivation struggles, or times when someone feels stuck between options.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit best based on goals and preferences. That choice can change over time as needs evolve.

Confirm the current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It also lets people use therapeutic tools from their everyday routines while working with a licensed professional.