Suzanne Shumaker, LCSW

Suzanne Shumaker is a licensed clinical social worker in California. She guides people through stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction concerns. Suzanne aims to help clients build self-compassion and clearer direction in life. She focuses on practical steps and steady progress. Suzanne works with issues like low self-esteem, guilt and shame, and problems communicating with others. She helps people process loss and post-traumatic stress in ways that feel manageable. Sessions emphasize concrete skills to handle overwhelming feelings and day-to-day demands. Her style combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, client-centered listening, and elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. That mix lets her teach thought and behavior tools while staying focused on each person’s lived experience. She explains techniques in simple language and practices them together with clients. Treatment plans are shaped around a person's goals and circumstances. Suzanne supports people who are navigating life changes or seeking more meaning and self-love. She helps clients set small, achievable steps and track progress over time. In session Suzanne keeps things direct and compassionate. She offers a calm space to talk through painful feelings and to try new ways of thinking and acting. The work aims to increase coping skills and to make everyday life feel more manageable.

How Suzanne uses CBT and client-centered methods online

Client-centered therapy focuses on respectful listening and understanding. The therapist follows the person's lead, asks simple questions, and reflects back what she hears to help people feel heard and clarify their goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Suzanne helps clients notice unhelpful thought patterns and practice small behavior changes to reduce anxiety, depression, or stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy adds skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance when feelings become overwhelming. It provides straightforward tools for handling intense moments and improving communication. Finding the right approach is part of the work. Suzanne collaborates with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and comfort level. She checks in regularly and adjusts techniques based on progress and feedback. Online therapy offers flexible ways to engage. Video calls let people work visually and practice skills in real time, phone sessions require less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a break, live chat supports quick check-ins, and text-based messaging works well for short updates or step-by-step homework. These options help make ongoing therapy more accessible and easier to fit into daily life.