Susan Trefts, LCSW, LICSW

Susan Trefts is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) practicing in Oregon with 21 years of experience. She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, and compassion fatigue. Susan focuses on practical steps people can use right away. She reminds clients that they know their own story and brings that knowledge into each session.

Her approach centers on listening first and following the client’s lead. She uses Client-Centered Therapy to prioritize what the person finds most important. She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills when people need concrete tools for managing emotions and building coping strategies.

Sessions are straightforward and goal-focused. Conversations often include identifying small changes that fit daily life, practicing skills for stress or intense feelings, and tracking progress between meetings. She encourages people to notice their strengths and apply them to current challenges.

Over two decades of work have included varied clinical settings and many common life pressures. That background informs practical suggestions around work, relationships, body image, guilt and shame, and life purpose. Susan also addresses post-traumatic stress, communication problems, forgiveness, and women's issues.

People who prefer an approach that is direct and collaborative tend to do well with her style. To start, she asks about what matters most now, then helps form small, manageable steps toward those goals.

How her approaches translate to online sessions