About Susan
Susan Sparks brings a client-centered focus to people seeking help with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and a wide range of life challenges. She names strengths first and works to tailor interventions to each person’s needs, drawing on a decade of clinical practice.
Background and approach
Her background includes a Master Degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois (2011) and licensure as an LCSW in Illinois since 2013, which guides how she structures care and goals with clients.
Her practice spans work with children, young adults, individuals, and families, applying research-informed techniques to address behavioral concerns, self-esteem, anger, grief, and coping with life changes. Susan incorporates therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, play-based strategies, behavioral approaches, applied behavior analysis, mindfulness practices, and holistic methods to create a personalized plan.
She emphasizes building on existing strengths so people can better manage symptoms and pursue more satisfying, productive lives. Clients can expect an approach that combines practical skills with compassion and respect for each person’s history and capacities.
Susan’s experience in community work and volunteer roles over several decades informs a grounded, pragmatic style aimed at helping clients make meaningful progress.
Evidence-Informed Approaches and Flexible Online Care
Many clients benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. Play Therapy and behavioral strategies adapt these ideas for children and youth by using age-appropriate activities to teach coping skills and address behavioral concerns.Susan also uses mindfulness practices and holistic techniques to help clients build awareness, manage physiological arousal, and strengthen emotion regulation. These approaches are useful for grief, trauma recovery, anger management, and ongoing stress or compassion fatigue because they offer both practical tools and ways to increase resilience.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to explore goals, preferences, and response to different methods, adjusting techniques as needed so the plan stays aligned with the client's needs and progress.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and to continue care from different locations within Illinois. These formats support consistent access to a licensed professional while allowing the therapeutic work to focus on practical problem solving, skills development, and emotional support.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also works with
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English