Susan JohnsonLMSW

Susan Johnson is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) based in Michigan with ten years of practice experience. She focuses on supporting people through stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. Susan also offers help around pregnancy and childbirth concerns and issues that commonly affect women and young adults.

She earned a Master of Social Work from Western Michigan University with a trauma specialization. Over the past decade she has worked with people from many backgrounds, including involvement with child welfare, foster care, and adoption systems. Her clinical history includes work with individuals and caregivers facing attachment and abandonment challenges.

Susan uses connection-focused approaches that emphasize building trust and practical skills. She draws on methods aimed at helping people process distressing experiences and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. In sessions she centers empathy, curiosity, and validation to help people feel seen and heard.

When working with pregnancy or childbirth-related concerns she supports mothers in strengthening the early bond with their baby and navigating the emotional shifts that can come before and after birth. She also assists people wrestling with communication problems, life purpose questions, and recovery from past trauma.

Susan aims to tailor each session to a person's current needs and goals. She helps people set concrete steps, practice new ways of relating, and track small changes that add up over time.

How therapeutic approaches guide online care

Susan uses evidence-based techniques that focus on processing traumatic memories and improving thoughts and behaviors. One commonly used method helps people process distressing experiences so they have less emotional intensity around those memories; this can be useful for people coping with past abuse or post-traumatic stress. Another approach combines cognitive strategies with practical skills to reduce anxiety and change unhelpful thinking patterns; this is helpful for stress, depression, and relationship difficulties.

Finding the best approach is part of the work together. The therapist will explore your story, goals, and preferences and recommend methods that fit what you need. Decisions about techniques are collaborative and can change as healing progresses.

If you are considering online sessions, check the current session options before booking since formats were not specified in the biography. Many people find remote work easier for fitting therapy into busy days, managing care during pregnancy and postpartum, or keeping appointments while juggling childcare and work. Some formats can be shorter or require less bandwidth, which may suit quick check-ins or times when a full on-camera session is difficult. Ask about the available formats and how they might fit your routine before scheduling.