Susan Gallenz, LCSW

Susan Gallenz is a licensed social worker in Virginia with extensive experience supporting people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, and loss. She holds the credential LCSW, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and has also worked as a CSAC, a credential for substance use counseling. Her professional path includes a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia and time spent volunteering with at-risk youth in Jamaica through the U.S. Peace Corps.

Susan has worked with clients on a range of concerns including stress and anxiety, depression, military-related issues, LGBTQ+ matters, trauma and abuse, domestic violence, panic disorder and panic attacks, and coping with grief and loss. She approaches each person as the expert of their own story and looks for strengths that can be used to address life challenges. Her style blends guidance with support to help clients build coping skills and move toward healing.

Beginning therapy often takes courage, and Susan acknowledges that first step while offering steady encouragement and practical support. She aims to create a respectful, affirming space where clients can explore communication problems, forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation and loneliness, mood and panic disorders, post-traumatic stress, self-love, social anxiety, women's concerns, and workplace issues.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Online Care

Susan integrates well-established, evidence-based techniques into her online work, tailoring methods to each person's needs. Cognitive-behavioral techniques help people identify unhelpful thoughts and develop practical strategies to reduce anxiety, panic attacks, and mood symptoms. A trauma-informed approach focuses on safety, stabilization, and coping skills for those affected by abuse, military-related stress, or post-traumatic stress, helping clients process experiences at a manageable pace. Grief-focused interventions offer structured support for navigating loss, attending to complicated emotions while building resilience and meaning.

Deciding which approach fits best is part of the therapeutic collaboration. Susan works with clients to assess goals, preferences, and life circumstances, then adapts methods so therapy feels useful and relevant. That collaborative process helps shape a plan that aligns with each person's priorities.

Online therapy with Susan is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexibility and accessibility. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, family, or mobility needs and allow licensed professionals to deliver consistent, focused care from different locations.