Susan Frate, LISW

Susan Frate, LISW, focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, or major life changes. She writes plainly and works to make the first steps feel manageable. Her style aims to build on each person's strengths so they can face hard moments with more confidence.

With 25 years of experience as a licensed independent social worker in Ohio, Susan draws on practical methods that fit everyday life. She offers straightforward strategies alongside listening and support. Sessions are meant to be collaborative and goal-oriented, not full of jargon.

Susan uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients accept difficult feelings while moving toward what matters. Client-Centered Therapy guides the way she listens and responds - the client’s perspective leads the work.

In sessions she focuses on concrete skills for coping with anxiety, managing mood, improving sleep, and addressing substance or eating concerns. She also works with challenges like grief, relationship and communication problems, parenting stresses, and burnout or compassion fatigue.

The approach is practical and flexible. She helps people set small, achievable goals and checks progress as they go. The aim is to leave each session with at least one thing to try before the next meeting.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Susan commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify negative thinking and try different actions that can change mood and behavior. CBT focuses on practical exercises and small behavior changes that you can use between sessions.

She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice difficult feelings without getting stuck and move toward meaningful life goals. ACT pairs awareness skills with values-based action to reduce avoidance and increase engagement in life.

Choosing the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your concerns and goals, suggest methods that fit your needs, and adjust the plan as you try things and give feedback. You and the therapist decide together which tools to emphasize.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let conversations feel similar to in-person sessions while allowing work from home or another convenient place. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth or camera use is limited, and they can be an easier option during a busy day. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, coping tool coaching, or when you want to write through a moment between scheduled meetings. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or other daily routines.