Susan Sparks, LCSW

Susan Sparks is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Illinois who brings a long history of community service and focused clinical care to her practice. She earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois in 2011 and became licensed to provide clinical social work services in 2013. Over the years she has worked and volunteered in the community for more than 35 years, developing a broad understanding of local needs and resources.

Susan has ten years of clinical experience working directly with children, young adults, individuals, and families. Her approach is tailored to each person - drawing on strengths, life context, and specific goals to address challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, behavioral concerns, anger management, self-esteem, grief, and relationship or intimacy-related issues. She also supports clients facing career transitions, parenting difficulties, sleep and eating concerns, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue.

She integrates research-based methods into treatment, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, play-based techniques, behavioral strategies, applied behavioral analysis, mindfulness practices, and holistic supports. Susan emphasizes a strengths-based perspective, believing that people of all ages possess resources they can use to manage difficulties and pursue more fulfilling, productive lives. She collaborates with clients to set realistic goals and to build practical skills that support lasting change.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Flexible Online Care

Susan Sparks uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns - a practical approach often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes. She also incorporates play-based techniques when working with children and families to create developmentally appropriate ways to express feelings, build problem-solving skills, and address behavioral concerns. In addition, mindfulness practices are woven into treatment to support emotional regulation, reduce reactivity, and strengthen present-moment awareness for clients facing trauma, grief, or ongoing stressors.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself. Susan collaborates with each person or family to assess needs, preferences, and goals, and she adjusts methods as therapy progresses to find the best fit. This collaborative process helps ensure treatment is relevant and meaningful.

Online therapy with Susan is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for busy schedules and varied comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain consistency in care, access support from home, and fit sessions around work, school, or family commitments while working with licensed professionals and therapists trained in these methods.