Therapist profile
Susan Essich-Kruse, LICSW, LISW-CP
Licensed social worker - Relationships and parenting
Continue with SusanAbout
- Client-centered approach
- Mindfulness techniques
- Systemic perspective
About Susan
Susan Essich-Kruse is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) with 20 years of professional experience in South Carolina. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting concerns, depression, and coping with life changes. Her work also addresses adoption and foster care matters, blended family issues, aging and geriatric concerns, and communication problems.
Susan frames therapy around what each person already knows about their life. She treats the person in front of her as the expert on their story and starts by listening. Sessions are straightforward and practical. They often begin with a review of what is happening now and what the client wants to change.
Her approach draws on client-centered methods that prioritize the client's perspective. Mindfulness techniques are used to help with stress and mood regulation. Systemic ideas help look at patterns in relationships and family roles when those are relevant.
People come for a mix of immediate coping skills and longer-term changes in how they relate to others. Susan often helps with communication problems, divorce and separation issues, and feelings of emptiness that can follow life transitions. She also supports women facing mood-related concerns and life-stage shifts.
Sessions are practical and paced to each person's needs. The first meeting is used to identify goals and the next steps. To start, readers are asked to follow the site's process to match and schedule their initial session.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Susan uses client-centered work, which means she starts by listening to the person's concerns and priorities. This approach aims to make sessions practical and focused on the client's goals.She also draws on mindfulness practices to help with stress and mood. Mindfulness offers simple breathing and attention exercises that can be used between sessions to manage anxiety and regulate emotions.
Systemic ideas are used to map patterns in relationships and family roles. That perspective can help identify repeated communication problems or role strains that affect everyday life.
Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences with the client and adapt methods as needed. This helps shape short-term coping steps and longer-term changes together.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current online options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Licensed professionals can use the same client-centered, mindfulness, or systemic tools over remote sessions, and the focus remains on practical techniques that fit daily life.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
South Carolina, Massachusetts
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of family and parenting concerns are addressed?
She works with stress and anxiety related to parenting, relationship tension, blended family issues, adoption and foster care questions, and general family problems.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered, where the person’s experience guides the work. Mindfulness and systemic ideas are used as practical tools.
How much experience does she have?
Susan has 20 years of professional experience supporting people with mood, relationship, and parenting concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds MA LICSW and SC LISW-CP credentials and is based in South Carolina.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats does she offer?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify formats.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.