Suzanne Boak, LMSW

Suzanne Boak is a licensed clinician with 32 years of experience helping people navigate relationship challenges, family dynamics, grief, and personal growth. She practices in Michigan and has worked with clients in other settings outside the United States, bringing long-standing clinical experience to complex emotional issues. Suzanne focuses on supporting individuals facing self-esteem struggles, communication barriers, midlife transitions, and the everyday stresses that accompany caregiving, chronic health concerns, and workplace pressure.

Her approach is compassionate and holistic, guided by a goal of empowering clients to build self-compassion, reduce isolation, and regain a stronger sense of purpose. Suzanne has notable experience with older adults and caregivers, and she regularly assists people coping with chronic pain, illness, disability, and the emotional toll those conditions can bring. She also works with families on blended family concerns, divorce and separation, fatherhood issues, and other family-of-origin matters.

Suzanne draws on a range of therapeutic methods to create a supportive environment where clients can explore feelings, process past wounds, and develop practical coping strategies. She holds an LMSW, which stands for Licensed Master Social Worker, and uses that training to help clients build resilience, improve relationships, and pursue meaningful change in their lives.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Client-centered therapy places the client at the center of the work, emphasizing empathy, respect, and collaboration so individuals can explore their values and make changes that feel authentic. This approach is useful for personal growth, self-esteem work, and navigating life transitions.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - EMDR - is a targeted method for processing traumatic memories and reducing the emotional intensity tied to past events. It can help people who struggle with trauma, abuse, or distressing memories find relief and greater emotional balance.

The Gottman Method focuses on improving communication and strengthening relationships through practical tools and structured exercises, making it particularly helpful for couples and family dynamics where interaction patterns contribute to conflict.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Suzanne will work collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative planning helps tailor sessions to what is most likely to support healing and progress.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit support into busy schedules or manage care from home. These options increase accessibility and allow clients to receive consistent care even when in-person meetings are difficult, while enabling licensed professionals to deliver structured, effective treatment remotely.