Susan Trefts, LCSW, LICSW

Susan Trefts is a licensed clinical social worker with 21 years of experience helping adults navigate stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, and challenges with self-esteem and motivation. She holds the credentials LCSW and LICSW, which indicate she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Oregon and Washington. Her practice emphasizes strengths and resilience, and she approaches each person as the expert of their own story while offering professional guidance to support change.

Susan works with people facing trauma and abuse, compassion fatigue, and post-traumatic stress, and she also focuses on concerns such as body image, communication problems, forgiveness, guilt and shame, life purpose, self-love, and issues affecting women. She creates a collaborative environment where clients explore what matters most to them and develop skills to improve day-to-day functioning and overall wellbeing.

Taking the first step toward a more fulfilling life can feel daunting, and Susan offers steady support throughout that process. Her style blends practical strategies with empathic listening so clients can build confidence, find direction, and move forward at their own pace.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Susan uses client-centered therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the client's values and goals guide the work. This approach focuses on listening deeply, validating experiences, and helping clients build on their own strengths to address issues like self-esteem, life purpose, and relationship or communication concerns.

She also integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy - DBT to teach practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving interpersonal effectiveness, and reducing patterns that contribute to ongoing stress or trauma responses. DBT can be especially helpful for people dealing with anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and patterns of self-criticism or shame.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Susan collaborates with each person to determine what fits best for their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they adapt methods and pace so the work feels useful and manageable.

Online therapy offers flexible access to licensed professionals through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options allow clients to connect from home, balance scheduling needs, and continue care through life transitions while working toward clearer coping skills and meaningful change.