Susan MacDonald

Compassionate guidance for stress and relationships

LMHC Rhode Island

Experience: 14 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Susan

Susan MacDonald is a licensed mental health counselor practicing in Rhode Island who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns.

Background and approach

She brings 14 years of clinical experience to each client interaction, emphasizing support for issues such as low self-esteem, coping with life changes, and rebuilding motivation. Her work also addresses a range of related difficulties including codependency, communication problems, family of origin patterns, and feelings of emptiness or isolation.

Her approach blends practical, evidence-informed methods with an empathic, client-centered stance. Susan uses tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside mindfulness techniques and elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Motivational Interviewing to help clients build skills, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and increase emotional regulation.

She aims to create a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore guilt, shame, obsessive patterns, panic symptoms, and questions about life purpose. Throughout the therapeutic process she supports clients navigating divorce or separation, mood and trauma-related symptoms, and efforts to cultivate self-love and healthier relationships.

Susan encourages clients to take the next step toward change, offering steady guidance while tailoring strategies to each person’s goals and circumstances.

Practical therapeutic approaches for online care

Many clients benefit from interventions that combine skill-building and reflective work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, panic, and obsessive concerns. Client-Centered Therapy prioritizes an empathic, nonjudgmental relationship, helping people feel heard and supported as they explore values, self-esteem, and life purpose. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides concrete tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, which can help with intense emotions, communication challenges, and coping during major life transitions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work together with each client to assess needs, preferences, and goals, and then adapt techniques from these approaches to create a personalized plan. This means strategies may shift over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, continue work from different locations within Rhode Island, and use brief check-ins or messaging when helpful between longer appointments. Licensed professionals can apply the same therapeutic methods remotely while supporting skill practice and real-world application.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?

Susan works with people experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, and challenges coping with life changes, along with related issues such as codependency, communication problems, and isolation.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is empathic and client-centered, combining practical skill-building with reflective exploration. She integrates approaches like CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to tailor support to each person.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 14 years of professional experience working with a range of mood, anxiety, and relationship concerns in Rhode Island.

What are her credentials and location?

She is a licensed mental health counselor with the designation RI LMHC MHC00454 and practices from Rhode Island.

Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?

Sessions are provided in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

Which session formats are available?

Clients can connect through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference and availability.

How is cost handled for sessions?

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

What are the first steps to begin working together?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a session according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesSelf esteem Depression Coping with life changes

Additional focus areas

CodependencyCommunication problemsDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesGuilt and shame Isolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks Post-traumatic stressSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

14+ years

Licensed

Rhode Island

Languages

English