About Susan
Susan Merletti is a California-licensed mental health professional with 39 years of experience. She frames therapy as a collaborative process and meets people where they are. She invites honest conversation and practical steps rather than jargon.
Her style is warm and steady, focused on what matters most to each person. Over decades of practice she has helped people manage stress, anxiety, and depression. She also works with those coping with trauma, relationship struggles, grief, and addiction.
How Susan works
Chronic illness and cancer-related concerns are part of her background, along with issues around body image, sexuality, and gender dysphoria. Susan uses approaches that fit the person, not a one-size-fits-all method. She draws on client-centered work that follows the client's lead and honors their strengths.
Cognitive behavioral tools are used when people want clear steps to change thoughts and behaviors. Mindfulness strategies are offered to improve present-moment coping and reduce reactivity. Psychodynamic ideas may be brought in to look at patterns that repeat across relationships and life choices.
Sessions focus on practical, understandable steps that support daily life. She respects each person's pace and priorities. Therapy sessions aim to build skills, improve communication, and help people reconnect with their values.
Susan encourages small, achievable changes that add up over time.
Susan lists 4 ways of working on the entry:
What Susan works with
The areas below are the ones Susan selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- Addictions
- Anger management
- Body image
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Sleeping disorders
- Women's issues
Training and background
| Register | LPCC |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 39 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | California |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Susan uses client-centered therapy to follow the person's priorities and strengths. This approach focuses on listening closely and responding to what matters most, which helps with issues like self-esteem, life purpose, and coping with change.She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which offers concrete strategies for changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and managing addictive patterns.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist and client will talk through goals, try techniques, and adjust methods based on what helps. That collaborative process lets the therapist match tools to each person's needs and preferences.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for a more traditional session feel, while phone calls can work when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging allow shorter check-ins, quick skill practice, or support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between meetings.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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