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Susan Garner

LMFT

Calm, practical therapy for life and relationships

  • Attachment focused
  • CBT and mindfulness
  • Relationship help

About Susan

Susan Garner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with two decades of clinical work helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship struggles. She commonly supports those dealing with body image concerns, grief, anger, self-esteem, and life changes such as divorce or blending families. Her approach is practical and down-to-earth, aimed at helping people make changes that matter in daily life.

Susan centers sessions on building a strong working relationship and clear goals. She listens closely to what led you to therapy and helps identify patterns that keep problems repeating. She uses talk-based methods alongside skills practice to focus on real-world change rather than abstract theories.

Her work draws on attachment-based ideas and emotionally focused methods to explore how close relationships affect feelings and behavior. She also uses cognitive behavioral techniques to notice and shift unhelpful thinking, and mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity and improve present-moment awareness.

Over her career she has worked with individuals, couples, and blended family concerns, bringing both clinical experience and life perspective to sessions. Susan emphasizes respectful, nonjudgmental support while helping clients develop clearer boundaries and better communication.

People who see her typically leave with more clarity about their goals, practical tools to handle difficult moments, and a plan for moving forward. To begin, prospective clients follow a short matching process that helps pair them with the best fit for their needs.

How Susan’s approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how close relationships shape feelings and behavior. Online sessions can explore patterns of relating, attachment wounds, and how those patterns play out in current partnerships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. In online sessions this often means practicing thought records, behavioral experiments, and homework between meetings to change daily routines and reactions.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Susan works collaboratively with each person to choose methods that match their goals, comfort level, and pace. She will discuss options, try different techniques, and adjust the plan together as progress and needs evolve.

The therapist's original biography did not list specific online session formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for quicker check-ins when life gets hectic. Some clients find video helpful for face-to-face connection, while others prefer shorter phone conversations or audio-only check-ins when they need a brief strategy session. Discuss format preferences at the start so sessions fit into daily life without added stress.

License and NPI

LMFT California · No. 38979
LMFT Oregon · No. T1186
NPI1922159540

As shown on the therapist's profile. You can check a license with the state board and an NPI with the national registry.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesDepression

Also works with

Family conflictsGriefAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCodependencyCommunication problemsDependent personalityDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsGuilt and shameInfidelityJealousyMidlife crisisMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Social anxiety and phobiaSomatizationYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

20+ years

Credentials

California, Oregon

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she work with?

Susan supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship and intimacy issues, body image, grief, anger, self-esteem problems, ADHD, bipolar concerns, and life transitions.

What is her therapy style like?

Her style is conversational and goal-focused, blending listening with practical skills work and exercises you can try between sessions.

How much experience does she have?

She brings about 20 years of clinical experience working with individuals and relationship concerns from varied backgrounds.

Where is she licensed and based?

She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with licensure in California and Oregon and practices from California.

What languages are offered?

Sessions are offered in English, and she also accepts international clients.

Which session formats are available?

The original biography did not list specific session formats, so please confirm the current session options when you book.

How does pricing work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

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