Susan Ridenour , LCSW, LSCSW

Susan Ridenour is a licensed clinical social worker who brings 35 years of professional experience to her practice, working primarily with adults ages 21 to 65. She holds the credentials LCSW and LSCSW - LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker and LSCSW indicates a licensed specialist clinical social worker - and maintains licensure in both Kansas and Missouri. Her work focuses on relationship and family systems dynamics, grief and loss, life transitions, aging and chronic illness, spiritual and personal growth, and career or workplace challenges.

Susan has a varied background across the lifespan and has provided services in multiple settings, including home and community-based care. That breadth of experience is complemented by intensive leadership training, individualized coaching, and a decade of leadership roles within large healthcare organizations, which can be useful for clients accessing employer assistance benefits. She sees individuals and couples seeking practical support and thoughtful guidance through change.

In sessions she blends practical tools and therapeutic techniques tailored to each person - using worksheets, journaling prompts, and messaging between meetings when helpful. Susan values the privilege of hearing people’s stories, approaches each person without judgment, and aims to support and empower clients as they pursue a more fulfilling life.

Therapeutic Approaches and Remote Care

Susan Ridenour integrates evidence-informed approaches to help clients clarify values, manage difficult emotions, and build practical skills. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, invites clients to notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and to take values-driven action - this can be especially useful for coping with life transitions, grief, and chronic stress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathic listening and collaboration, creating space for clients to explore personal meaning, relationships, and growth at their own pace. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying and reshaping unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, which can relieve distress related to anxiety, workplace challenges, and relationship conflicts.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Susan works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts techniques over time based on what is most helpful for the client.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for busy schedules, mobility limitations, or those in different parts of Kansas. These remote formats allow clients to access licensed professionals from locations that work best for them while maintaining continuity of care across life changes.