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Ellen Suski, LCSW

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

Ellen is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

5.0 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Ellen. View 24 reviews
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in California

Recent reviews

Ellen is a great listener and good at checking up on you via messages. We’ve only had about 3 sessions, so can’t attest to what kind of progress I’m making. However, she’s been excellent at ensuring that I feel heard and addressing the issues in my life that I raise.

Reviewed January 2022

I am still in the early stages of therapy with Ellen. Ellen has been very helpful, patient, attentive, and insightful. She sometimes asks me tough questions that can be challenging to answer, but this is also why I appreciate her as a therapist/counselor. Ellen encourages me to be creative and explorative in my journey of self healing and finding greater purpose in life. I highly recommend Ellen.

Reviewed November 2021

More about Ellen

  • 8 years' experience
  • Female
  • LCSW

Hello. I am a licensed social worker in California. I began practicing in the mental health/behavioral health field in 2011. I originally was licensed in Maryland in 2015 but then returned to California in 2016. Since starting in the field, I have worked with individuals ranging in age from 4 years old to 75 years old; most experience working with individuals between the ages of 10 and 35. I have experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness, depression, anxiety, parenting problems, and relationship issues. My experience also involves working with individuals in the foster care, child welfare, and probation systems.

My approach to providing counseling is starting where the client is at. It is important for me to make my clients feel as though they are being heard and not talked at. This approach allows for me to individualize your counseling based upon your current needs as well as your future desires. It allows me to identify a treatment goal that is realistic for where you are currently at.

With that said, my goal in being a counselor, is to assist my clients in meeting their identified treatment needs. I am flexible and willing to do whatever I need to do to assist you and help you in any way that I can.

Per Terms and Conditions of Better Help, I am unable to write letters of any form or perform any formal evaluations/assessments. The following is from the Terms and Conditions: "The platform is not intended for the provisions of clinical diagnosis requiring an in-person evaluation and you should not use it if you need any official documentation or approvals for purposes such as, but not limited to, court-ordered counseling or emotional service dog certification. It is also not intended for any information regarding which drugs or medical treatment may be appropriate for you, and you should disregard any such advice if delivered through the platform."

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Ellen

Specialties

Stress Anxiety Self esteem Depression Coping with life changes Relationship issues Family conflicts Trauma and abuse Grief Parenting issues Anger management Career difficulties Compassion fatigue ADHD Abandonment Adoption and foster care Caregiver issues and stress Communication problems Control issues Emptiness Family problems Forgiveness Guilt and shame Impulsivity Isolation / loneliness Life purpose Midlife crisis Money and financial issues Mood disorders Panic disorder and panic attacks Postpartum depression Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Self-love Social anxiety and phobia Women's issues Workplace issues Young adult issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy

Licenses

Ellen Suski's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1356888127.

  • LCSW · California · 75576 · Expires February 2026

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling, also known as teletherapy, is a method of delivering mental health services through digital means such as video conferencing, phone calls, or messaging platforms. It can be an ideal option for individuals who have difficulty accessing traditional therapy due to geographical distance, time constraints, or personal preferences like privacy and comfort. Many people find it easier to open up from the familiarity of their own space.

Teletherapy has been found to be highly effective, with studies showing that it can produce similar outcomes to in-person therapy, particularly for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The flexibility and accessibility it offers make it a valuable alternative to conventional therapy settings.

Reviews for Ellen Suski

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

5.0

24 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Great Helpful Helped Comfortable Recommend Insightful Understanding Amazing Attentive Empathetic

Ellen is a great listener and good at checking up on you via messages. We’ve only had about 3 sessions, so can’t attest to what kind of progress I’m making. However, she’s been excellent at ensuring that I feel heard and addressing the issues in my life that I raise.

Reviewed January 2022

I am still in the early stages of therapy with Ellen. Ellen has been very helpful, patient, attentive, and insightful. She sometimes asks me tough questions that can be challenging to answer, but this is also why I appreciate her as a therapist/counselor. Ellen encourages me to be creative and explorative in my journey of self healing and finding greater purpose in life. I highly recommend Ellen.

Reviewed November 2021

Ellen is such a great person to have as your counselor. She gets back to you in a timely manner and also demonstrates professionalism. She gives great advice and also provides resources to help me get through my situation.

Reviewed September 2021

Ellen has been the most helpful counselor I've ever seen (and I've seen a handful of people in my life). She's thoughtful in her responses, provides little worksheets for me to dig deeper and is always willing to talk with me about my responses and is teaching me how to set healthy boundaries (something I've never been taught before).

Reviewed June 2021

Ellen is a great counselor I feel very lucky to have her as my therapist.

Reviewed May 2021

This is my first time talking to a therapist and Ellen’s made it feel very comfortable and relaxed. I tell her things when I need to without feeling judged or put on the spot. She lets me vent about random stuff and will ask relevant questions that will help me gain some other perspective.

Reviewed March 2021

Using BetterHelp is my first experience with any kind of routine counseling. I was very anxious about getting started and nervous about sharing details of my life with someone else. From the first time Ellen and I talked things felt incredibly natural. She didn't rush into problems or try and figure out 'what was wrong with me' instead she asked normal questions about my life and let me open up as I felt comfortable. The problems we're working on are things that I have put forward and her advice and strategies have been consistently helpful. I would highly recommend Ellen and look forward to our continued sessions.

Reviewed March 2021

My counselor is the best and she is always there for me. She’s so there for me that I feel guilty reaching out to her because she reaches out all the time when I reach out to her. She helps me think about things and provides me with things I need to help me with the situation that I am in.

Reviewed December 2020

She’s extremely understanding, and never makes me feel uncomfortable. Plus I find her relatable, she never uses terms I don’t understand.

Reviewed December 2020

Ellen has been wonderful. In the one month I've been speaking to her, I finally dealt with a lot of things that I had been avoiding my whole life and she gave me actionable steps I could take to making progress and dealing with my issues in a healthy manner. She's a great listener and I found it very comfortable to talk to her. I also appreciated that she had enough availability in her schedule and I never felt rushed during our sessions. This is exactly what I needed and I'm so glad I finally made time to take this step and that I found Ellen. I highly recommend Ellen Suski!

Reviewed December 2020

Ellen has really helped me.

Reviewed December 2020

I wasn't able to participate all that much in BetterHelp, but getting what I could off my chest in the limited time I had with this service really helped me out. Ellen was a fantastic listener - I'd send her quite a lot of backstory and material, and she sifted through it and asked the relevant questions that really helped me understand my struggle and my place in it!

Reviewed November 2020

Ellen is excellent. I always felt heard and understood. I would recommend her services to family and friends!

Reviewed November 2020

Ellen is very patient, kind, and insightful! She’s helped me with small, daily issues all the way to some core concerns I’ve wanted to improve. She remains entirely professional while still coming off warm and personable. Ellen is awesome!

Reviewed September 2020

Ellen and I have been working together for a couple of months now. I’ve a lot about myself with her help. She’s been helping with cope with my anxiety and set those boundaries for myself. She’s great. I’m really grateful for her

Reviewed September 2020

I like Ellen because she is genuinely engaged, present and actively listens. She can also roll with my moods. Sometimes I need to talk and vent more than ask for feedback. Other times I am looking for more guidance. She is really all about supporting her clients unconditionally and also she gives me resources And links for additional and specialized support .

Reviewed August 2020

Ellen is a great sounding board and helps me acknowledge things I tend to avoid in my mind. She's direct but tactful and I appreciate her approach in things, and is able to check my biases almost immediately.

Reviewed August 2020

Counseling with Ellen has been an amazing experience! I look forward to every live session with her and I truly feel a positive difference in my life now. She is sincerely attentive, genuine, and empathetic and I couldn't have been paired with a better therapist.

Reviewed August 2020

The most important factor for a therapy to work is to successfully establish rapport between the therapist and client. Without it, counseling/therapy is foreseeably a waste of time. My therapist, Ellen Suski right from the beginning , the way she introduced herself and how she laid out what to expect from her and conscientiously provided me coping skills that are relevant to what I am going through as we went along with our therapist- client relationship....She would allow me to express myself and respond in a very calm,non judgemental manner but wont allow me to steer too far away from facts and what is reality. "When the other person is hurting,confused,anxious,alienated,terrified; or when he or she is doubtful of self worth,uncertain as to identity,then understanding is called for.The gentle and sensitive companionship of an empathic stance...provides illumination and healing.In such situations deep understanding is , I believe, the most precious gift one can give another."

Reviewed August 2020

I was a little skeptical about whether this form of therapy would work or not, but Ellen has shown me that this form of therapy could be just as effective as traditional therapy. I really appreciate that she responds quickly, and let's you know that she really is there for you. She makes me think for myself by asking me crucial questions for my self growth. The readings she sends are particularly useful as well.

Reviewed July 2020

Ms. Suski is very helpful and communicative. I trust her and am very happy with how she's helped me.

Reviewed July 2020

Ellen is there when I need it. She has a lot of great advice and it’s extremely helpful.

Reviewed June 2020

She's amazing. Overall she was super helpful and supportive! I’m so glad I decided take care of my mental health.

Reviewed June 2020

Ellen is really insightful and supportive. I feel very comfortable with her, and really appreciate her input. I feel like here counseling is very helpful.

Reviewed June 2020

How was your experience with Ellen?

Frequently asked questions

Does Ellen Suski offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Ellen Suski works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does Ellen Suski speak?

Ellen Suski speaks English.

How many years of experience does Ellen Suski have?

Ellen Suski has 8 years of experience.

Where is Ellen Suski licensed to practice?

Ellen Suski is licensed to practice in California.

Does Ellen Suski accept clients outside of the United States?

No, Ellen Suski does not accept clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does Ellen Suski offer?

Ellen Suski offers clients Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

How can I communicate with Ellen Suski?

Ellen Suski can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with Ellen Suski?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

And recovery is possible.

Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video

When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.