Susan St Vrain, LMHC - Therapist in Washington

Emotionally-Focused Therapy
Therapeutic yoga and somatics
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

About Susan

Susan St Vrain is a Washington state LMHC with 30 years of clinical experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, and major life changes. She works with adults facing grief, depression, ADHD, sleep struggles, career stress, and the fallout from trauma and abuse. Sessions focus on practical ways to steady day-to-day life.

Her background includes trauma-informed methods and a body-mind emphasis. She integrates therapeutic yoga, somatic practices, mindfulness, and movement into talk therapy when clients want that orientation. This can help people who prefer working with breath, posture, or gentle movement alongside conversations.

Susan describes her basic approach as client-centered, which means sessions begin with the client's concerns and goals. She also uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based ideas, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools depending on the situation. Work tends to be collaborative and solution focused.

In practice she offers a mix of talking and experiential elements. That may look like mapping how emotions show up in the body, learning specific mindfulness skills, or trying behavioral experiments between sessions. The aim is calmer daily functioning and clearer choices rather than quick fixes.

People who prefer a therapist who combines conversational counseling with body-based techniques often find this style fits. She also provides psychoeducation about stress responses and practical strategies for coping, communication, and setting limits. The focus is on steady, usable changes that fit into everyday life.

How her approaches translate to online work

Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps name and work with emotions that are hard to describe, often by tracking how feelings and interaction patterns show up in the moment. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches practical skills for noticing thoughts without getting caught in them and choosing actions that match values. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns of relating and how early attachment experiences influence current responses. Choosing the right approach is part of the process. Susan will work collaboratively to see which methods fit a person's goals and preferences. That might mean emphasizing EFT in sessions that focus on emotional processes, or using ACT strategies to build coping skills between meetings. Confirm the specific session formats before booking since formats were not listed in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, shorten a check-in when time is limited, or use phone if bandwidth is low. Many people find remote sessions let them practice skills in daily life between meetings, and therapists can adapt exercises so they work over distance. If you want to combine movement or somatic elements with talk therapy, mention that when scheduling so options can be discussed.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief DepressionADHD

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stress Codependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issuesDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Family of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shame Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Midlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPostpartum depression Post-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issues Young adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based Therapy Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential Therapy Hypnotherapy Mindfulness Therapy Motivational Interviewing

Experience

30+ years

Listed in

Washington

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, ADHD, sleep problems, parenting strain, anger, self-esteem, career issues, bipolar concerns, and coping with life changes.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is client-centered and solution focused. She blends talk therapy with body-centered practices like somatics and therapeutic yoga when people want that work.

How much experience does she have?

She has 30 years of professional experience working with adults on trauma, mood, stress, and related issues.

What credential does she hold and where does she practice?

She is an LMHC licensed in Washington and practices with that credential in the state of Washington.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.

Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.