Susan Peterman

Susan Peterman is a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, practicing in Louisiana with 13 years of experience. She helps people who are feeling stuck by addressing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, LGBT issues, and coping with life changes.

Susan works directly with individuals to talk through what feels hard right now. She uses clear, practical methods to help people notice patterns that keep them stuck. Sessions focus on next steps that feel manageable rather than sweeping promises of change.

Her approach draws on several well-known therapies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at how thoughts and actions interact and supports gradual behavior changes. Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness practices teach ways to tolerate strong feelings and stay present during difficult moments. Narrative and solution-focused techniques help people separate themselves from unhelpful stories and identify concrete goals.

Susan aims to create an open environment where clients can speak honestly about shame, guilt, attachment wounds, commitment fears, or family-of-origin problems. She also has experience with issues such as abandonment, autism and Asperger Syndrome, communication problems, divorce and separation, domestic violence, and gender dysphoria.

Work with her typically centers on practical tools, clearer choices, and moving toward the decisions a person wants to try. To get started, a short matching questionnaire and an initial session are used to decide the best fit and focus for ongoing work.

How Susan uses therapy approaches online

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, helps people spot links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Online CBT sessions often focus on specific problems like anxiety, low mood, or unhelpful habits and include concrete exercises to practice between meetings. DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, emphasizes skills for managing intense emotions and improving distress tolerance. In online sessions these skill-building practices can be taught, rehearsed, and adjusted to everyday situations. Mindfulness Therapy teaches present-moment awareness and simple attention practices that reduce reactivity and support clearer decision making.

Deciding which approach to use is part of the work. Susan will collaborate with each client to choose methods that match their concerns, goals, and preferences. That may mean combining CBT for behavior change, DBT skills for emotion regulation, and mindfulness practices as needed.

Confirm the session formats available before booking, as this profile does not list specific options. Online work can make scheduling easier and help sessions fit around work, family, or other commitments. It can also allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, or conversations that focus on skill practice without needing travel. Ask about formats during the matching questionnaire and first session so sessions suit real life needs.