Susan Davis, LMFT - Therapist in California

About Susan

Susan Davis is a licensed marriage and family therapist who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, parenting concerns, and depression. She writes and speaks plainly, listens closely, and adapts her approach to match each person's needs. Her tone is warm and respectful, and she aims to make the first steps into therapy feel manageable.

She brings 35 years of professional experience in clinical work and teaching.

Background and approach

Her background includes independent practice, creating and running a training program for marriage and family therapy interns, and supervising psychiatric residents in their therapy hours. She has also coauthored two books on community mental health and worked as an adjunct professor at three universities. Susan uses several therapy approaches to suit different problems and personalities.

She draws from attachment-based ideas to look at how early connections shape current relationships. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to address unhelpful thoughts and build practical coping skills. Motivational interviewing and dialectical behavior methods help with motivation and emotional regulation when needed.

Sessions are tailored to the person and the issue at hand. She will shape the conversation and treatment plan around what a client finds most helpful. The therapist emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in every session.

For those taking the first steps, she acknowledges that starting therapy can take courage. She encourages people to move at a pace they can handle while working toward clearer goals and better day-to-day coping.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Susan commonly uses attachment-based therapy to look at how relationships and early experiences shape current patterns. This approach helps people notice how they connect with others and practice different ways of relating that feel safer and more satisfying.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes. CBT gives practical tools to reduce anxiety, lift mood, and handle stressful situations more calmly.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, preferences, and what has or has not helped in the past. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust them over time based on what is working.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule and maintain regular contact between meetings. The range of options supports continuity of care and practical flexibility while pursuing the agreed goals.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she help with?

Susan works with stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, grief, parenting questions, depression, family issues, intimacy-related matters, and coping with life changes.

What is her therapeutic style?

She combines attachment-based, client-centered, cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavior, and motivational interviewing techniques to match what each person needs.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 35 years of professional experience in clinical practice, supervision, teaching, and program development.

What are her credentials and where is she licensed?

She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, CA LMFT 19986, practicing in California.

Which languages are available for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can people outside the U.S. work with her?

She does not accept international clients.

What formats are offered for sessions?

Sessions are available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How are fees handled and how do I begin?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability and are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Grief

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 35 years
Licensed: California
Languages: English

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