Sus Austill , LCSW

Sus Austill brings deep personal and professional experience to her work, honoring each person as the author of their own story and offering steady support along difficult paths. She combines life experience in long-term recovery and parenting with decades of clinical work to offer practical tools, new directions, or simply a listening presence for those who need to be heard.

Her background includes 40 years of sobriety, 39 years of parenting, and 28 years of clinical work with children, adolescents, adults, and families in mental health, substance use disorders, and crisis stabilization across outpatient, residential, and inpatient settings. She also values the perspective gained from six years of personal therapy, which informs an intuitive, flexible style rather than reliance on a single method. Sus maintains a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential - LCSW - which signifies advanced training in social work and clinical practice.

Her virtual toolbox spans genograms, recovery-based therapy, motivational interviewing, empathetic listening, gestalt approaches, cognitive-behavioral theory, narrative therapy, mindfulness practices, and tai chi. Areas of specialty include PTSD, moral injury, compassion fatigue, substance use and dependency, ADHD, LGBTQ concerns, depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, and family systems. She also addresses grief, caregiving and cancer-related stress, codependency, domestic violence, veteran and first responder issues, and other life transitions.

Sus particularly welcomes people who feel marginalized or isolated, and she offers to walk alongside clients - providing support over rough ground, tools to ease the path forward, or a calm space to rest and share their story.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Sus Austill

Sus draws from client-centered therapy to place each person's goals and values at the center of the work - the therapist follows the client's lead, helping clarify strengths and priorities while providing empathic support for whatever challenges arise. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is used to identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; it is often helpful for anxiety, depression, and many everyday stressors by teaching practical skills and strategies. Mindfulness therapy offers simple practices to increase present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity - these techniques can aid in managing stress, emotional overwhelm, and symptoms related to trauma.

Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Sus collaborates with each person to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts over time as those needs evolve. This collaborative planning helps ensure that therapy feels relevant and workable.

Online therapy with Sus is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to maximize flexibility and accessibility. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving, or geographic constraints, and they allow therapists and clients to focus on meaningful progress using approaches that suit the individual's life and circumstances.