Susan Bowes, LCSW

Licensed in Illinois · 15 years in practice

Susan Bowes is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Illinois with 15 years of experience.

License and registration

LCSW, Illinois: 149011825 · expires November 2027
NPI: 1003984378 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 15
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Susan

Susan Bowes is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Illinois with 15 years of experience. She helps people facing grief, low self-esteem, big life changes, compassion fatigue, and LGBTQ concerns. Her approach aims to make starting therapy feel less overwhelming for someone taking that first step.

Susan focuses on practical conversation and steady support. She creates an open space where clients can speak about thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Background and approach

Sessions tend to center on building coping skills and clearer perspectives rather than quick fixes. She also addresses issues linked to chronic pain, illness, and disability, along with control issues, guilt, shame, and questions about life purpose and sexuality. Work in these areas often combines problem-solving with emotional processing to help people manage daily demands.

Susan describes herself as approachable and straightforward. She helps people name what matters most, set realistic goals, and practice new ways of handling stress. Progress is shaped by small, consistent steps chosen together with each person.

Therapy with Susan can use several session styles to fit different needs. She supports people as they explore forgiveness, self-love, and rebuilding confidence after loss or major life changes.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Susan lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Online support

Approaches and online options for emotional healing

Evidence-based therapeutic techniques Susan uses are grounded in practical work that helps people change thoughts and behaviors and process difficult emotions. One common approach focuses on teaching coping skills and problem-solving strategies to manage stress, grief, and life transitions; these techniques help people handle day-to-day demands more effectively. Another approach emphasizes emotional processing and self-compassion, guiding people through grief, shame, and forgiveness so they can make space for healing and clearer decisions.

Choosing the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, then adjust methods as progress unfolds. Clients and therapist decide together what to try and how to pace the work based on real needs and feedback.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow fuller face-to-face conversations, phone sessions can fit into a work break or be used when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text messaging make brief check-ins and ongoing support easier. These options make it simpler to schedule regular work on grief, self-esteem, or coping with chronic illness without long travel times.

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Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does Susan support?

She helps people coping with grief, low self-esteem, life changes, compassion fatigue, and LGBTQ issues, plus related areas like chronic pain, guilt, and questions about life purpose.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Sessions are conversational and practical, focusing on naming problems, building coping skills, and setting small achievable goals.

What is her background and experience?

She has 15 years of professional practice experience working with the listed concerns and approaches common to clinical social work.

Where is she licensed and based?

Susan holds an IL LCSW license and practices in Illinois.

Can therapy be conducted in other languages or internationally?

Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.

What formats are available for sessions?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different schedules and needs.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

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