Suzanne Shumaker
Compassionate LCSW guiding practical emotional recovery
LCSW California
- Experience
- 3 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Self esteem
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Suzanne
Suzanne Shumaker is a California licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who focuses on helping people navigate difficult emotional experiences and life transitions.
Background and approach
With three years of professional practice, she combines evidence-informed techniques with a gentle, client-centered stance to support recovery from addiction, ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, and strengthen stress management skills. Her work emphasizes fostering self-compassion and addressing sources of guilt, shame, and low self-esteem while helping clients reconnect with a sense of life purpose.
She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside client-centered principles and skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy to create tailored plans that promote coping, self-love, and resilience. Suzanne aims to provide a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can process post-traumatic experiences, grief, and communication challenges.
She collaborates with individuals to build practical strategies that fit their circumstances and supports ongoing personal growth and improved emotional wellbeing.
Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Care
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress; it is practical work that helps clients develop new, more effective ways of responding to daily challenges. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and respect for each person's experience, creating space for clients to explore feelings, build self-compassion, and clarify personal values and life purpose. Dialectical Behavior Therapy contributes skills-based tools for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and improved interpersonal effectiveness, which can be useful when managing intense emotions or reactive patterns.
Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. Suzanne will work with clients to assess needs, goals, and preferences and then tailor a blend of strategies that feels most helpful for each person. The aim is to match methods to the individual's situation rather than apply a one-size-fits-all model.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for varied schedules and comfort levels. These options can make it easier to maintain continuity of care during life transitions and offer multiple ways to engage in therapy that suit different daily routines and communication styles.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
3+ years
Licensed
California
Languages
English