- Stress and anxiety
- Trauma and grief
- Social anxiety help
About Susan
Susan Gallenz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia with 15 years of professional experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, anger, and related concerns including social anxiety and phobia. She works with people who are dealing with overwhelming feelings and hard moments at work or in relationships.
Susan uses straightforward conversation and practical tools to help people manage intense feelings. She talks through coping skills for panic attacks, approaches to handle social situations, and steps people can try when grief or loss has made daily life harder. Sessions are aimed at building on strengths the client already has while trying new ways of responding.
Her background includes a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia and long experience in clinical settings. She also volunteered with the U.S. Peace Corps in Jamaica, where she worked with at-risk youth. Those experiences shaped her interest in helping people with trauma, mood challenges, and workplace stress.
Susan treats concerns that often overlap, such as guilt, shame, isolation, and communication problems. She uses practical strategies to reduce panic symptoms and to help people face feared social situations more often. Her approach emphasizes small, manageable steps and clear feedback from each session.
To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session. The subscription for sessions can be canceled at any time, and costs vary with location. Sessions are conducted in English and international clients are not accepted.
Approaches used and how online sessions work
Two evidence-based therapeutic techniques she draws on are skills-based coping work and exposure-oriented practice. Skills-based work teaches specific strategies for managing anxiety and panic attacks, such as breathing approaches and grounding exercises that reduce overwhelming sensations. Exposure-oriented practice breaks feared social situations into small steps so clients can gradually face them and notice what changes over time.Finding the right approach is often a collaborative process. The therapist and client review symptoms, goals, and preferences together and try methods that fit the person’s pace. Adjustments are made as needed so the plan stays practical and focused on what the client wants to achieve.
Confirm the available session formats before booking since the biography does not list specific options. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and reduce travel time. Discuss scheduling, the expected session length, and any format preferences during the matching questionnaire and the first appointment to find what works best.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
Virginia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
Susan works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, anger, and related problems such as social anxiety and phobia, panic attacks, and workplace issues.
What is her therapy style like?
She uses direct conversation and practical skills. Sessions focus on coping techniques, manageable steps, and feedback to track progress.
How much experience does she have?
She has 15 years of professional experience as an LCSW and prior years working as a CSAC, plus a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Virginia LCSW and practices from that state.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to start?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.