Susan Richey

Susan Richey is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a decade of clinical experience in California. She supports people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and major life changes such as divorce and separation. Her manner is warm and interactive, and she aims to meet people where they are without using stigmatizing labels.

Susan listens first, then helps build a plan that fits each person's needs. Sessions focus on practical steps for managing symptoms and improving relationships. She pays attention to communication problems, isolation and loneliness, and issues around forgiveness and self-worth.

Her work draws on a mix of cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, and rational-emotive approaches. That blend lets her use structured tools as well as conversation that explores feelings and life patterns. She adapts style and pace so sessions are useful for the individual in front of her.

Susan often focuses on helping people strengthen communication, set boundaries, and rebuild after loss or separation. She supports people who want clearer thinking, calmer reactions, and healthier connections. Progress is framed in small, achievable goals rather than quick fixes.

People who choose Susan can expect straightforward discussion, gentle challenge, and practical homework when it will help. She invites clients to take an active role in shaping therapy and works alongside them as they try new ways of coping and relating.

How her approaches guide online therapy

Her work uses a few evidence-based techniques in plain terms. Cognitive-behavioral methods focus on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and behaving; these tools are useful for anxiety, depression, and social fears. Humanistic approaches emphasize respectful listening and building self-awareness, which helps people reconnect with values and self-love. Rational-emotive ideas address rigid beliefs and teach how to dispute extreme self-judgments, which can reduce intense emotional reactions.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they will adjust the plan over time so techniques match the person’s needs and the challenges they bring to sessions.

If you are considering online work, confirm the available session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when that suits a schedule. It also supports focused conversations about communication, coping with separation, grief, and daily stress while working from wherever you are able to attend.