Susan Ryder

Susan Ryder is a licensed clinical professional counselor with 17 years of experience based in Maine. She focuses on practical help for stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, life changes, compassion fatigue, addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting strains, and anger. She presents a straightforward, respectful approach that centers the person in the room.

Her starting point is simple: people know their lives best. She uses that knowledge to build realistic goals and step-by-step plans. Sessions often focus on small changes that make daily life easier, clearer, and less overwhelming.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the methods she brings to sessions to identify unhelpful thoughts and shift behavior. Client-Centered Therapy guides how she listens and reflects so people feel heard. Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused techniques are used to boost motivation and target immediate goals.

Across 17 years of practice she has supported people dealing with grief, caregiver stress, blended family challenges, postpartum mood issues, process addictions, and the stress that first responders face. She also helps with aging and geriatric concerns, hospice and end-of-life matters, and issues tied to separation, infidelity, and communication breakdowns.

Sessions are delivered in English and are set up through an online matching and scheduling process. The subscription used for sessions can be canceled at any time. To begin, people complete a short questionnaire and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and reflecting what matters to the person. It helps people feel understood and builds a collaborative path forward. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and shifting actions to reduce distress; it is useful for anxiety, anger, and low mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will listen to your goals, try methods that fit those goals, and adjust based on what helps. This is a collaborative process where your feedback shapes the plan.

Confirm current session options before booking, since specific formats were not listed in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also support steady weekly work on skills and problem-solving without changing your daily routine.