PuttingFamilyFirst

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

SS Portrait of Susan Soares
Online therapist

Susan Soares

Calm, practical support for parents and families

Book with Susan
Credentials
LCSW
Experience
17 years
Licensed in
Indiana
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Susan

Susan Soares is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who focuses on family and parenting concerns as well as individual struggles. She brings 17 years of experience and a calm, relational style to sessions. Parents who feel overwhelmed or uncertain can expect a warm, down-to-earth approach that values being heard and understood.

Susan has worked in school-based settings and with adults, so she is familiar with family dynamics and practical parenting challenges.

Background and approach

She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and common parenting dilemmas. She also addresses issues like communication problems, blended family transitions, attachment concerns, and caregiver stress. Her way of working balances sensitivity with clear guidance.

Sessions are conversational and supportive, not formal or rushed. She weaves together client-centered listening with tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy to help people build skills and solve problems. Susan also uses mindfulness and motivational interviewing techniques when helpful, helping clients notice patterns and find motivation to change.

She aims to support healing of mind, body, and spirit in ways that fit each family’s reality. Based in Indiana, Susan offers sessions in English through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. She encourages parents and caregivers to take the first step when they feel ready and to expect a collaborative process focused on practical change.

Approaches that guide online family and parenting work

Client-centered therapy puts the person and their experience first. It focuses on listening closely, reflecting what matters to the client, and creating a caring space where parents and caregivers can talk through concerns and feel supported. This method helps when someone needs understanding and a steady presence during change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that cause distress and replacing them with practical strategies. It is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and parenting practices that families want to change. DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, adds skills for emotional regulation and improved communication, which can help with intense emotions and difficult family interactions.

Susan treats finding the right approach as a collaborative process. She will talk with each person about goals, daily realities, and what methods feel workable. Together they decide which techniques to try and adjust the plan as needed based on progress and preferences.

Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into busy family life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from home, phone sessions offer flexibility, and live chat or text messaging can support quick check-ins or skill practice between sessions. These options help parents access care in ways that match their schedules and comfort levels.

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.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she help with?
Susan works with issues often seen in family life and parenting. That includes stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and family problems, and parenting challenges.
How would she describe her approach in sessions?
Her style is relational and warm, with informal conversation and active listening. She blends client-centered care with practical techniques from CBT and DBT to teach coping skills and solve problems.
What is her clinical background?
She has 17 years of experience and has worked in school-based settings as well as with adults. That background informs her work with family systems and parenting concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in Indiana under IN LCSW 34006853A.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What formats are available for meeting with her?
Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does payment work and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin therapy with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
17 years
Licensed
Indiana
Languages
English

Next step

Talk to Susan

  • Takes a few minutes
  • Nothing to set up just to look
  • Stop at any point
Book with Susan