Susan Merletti , LPCC

Susan Merletti is a licensed clinician in California with 39 years of professional experience. As an LPCC (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor), she has spent decades supporting people through stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, cancer and chronic illness, and unresolved trauma. She approaches each person with the belief that they are the expert of their own story and that many personal strengths can be drawn on to overcome life’s difficulties.

Susan recognizes that taking the first step toward a more fulfilling and happier life requires courage, and she offers steady, compassionate support throughout the healing process. Her work emphasizes listening closely, identifying practical resources, and collaborating with clients to develop paths forward that fit their values and circumstances. Whether addressing emotional distress, relationship concerns, or the effects of chronic health issues, Susan focuses on helping individuals build resilience and find greater balance in day-to-day life.

Throughout her long career she has aimed to create a respectful, strengths-based environment in which clients can explore problems, test new approaches, and strengthen their capacity for meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Susan draws on client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness therapy to help people address emotional and relational concerns. Client-centered therapy focuses on empathetic listening and collaboration, helping clients explore their values and strengths so they can make choices that fit their lives. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offers a practical framework for identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, which can be useful for stress, anxiety, and depression. Mindfulness therapy teaches present-moment awareness and acceptance practices that can reduce reactivity and support coping with chronic health issues or persistent worry.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Susan works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts strategies over time as progress and circumstances evolve.

Online therapy makes it easier to access care from home or other convenient locations. Through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, clients can arrange appointments that fit their schedules and life demands, maintaining continuity of support even when in-person visits are not possible.