Susan Fan
Susan Fan, Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
AMFT #124759
650-297-3400 x36
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Supervised by Lisa Macias, Psy #32178
Locations: Los Altos | Mountain View-Los Altos
Fee: $170
Areas of Focus:
Languages: English, Cantonese
Adults: Stress, Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Depression, Life Transitions, Grief and Loss, Medical Trauma / Complications, Work-Life Balance, Relationship Issues, Couple’s Communication Issues, Parenting, Work Burnout, Mid-Life and Aging, Existential Crisis, LGBTQ+ Support, Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion, Caregiving Burnout, Acculturation Challenges, and Multi-Generation Household Challenges.
Children / Teens: Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Grief and Loss, Emotional Regulation, Adjustment to Change, LGBTQ+ Support, Gender Identity,
Anger Management, Self-Advocacy, Social Emotional Skills, Academic Pressure, Parental Pressure, Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion, Bullying, School-Life Balance.
Modalities:
Integrative approach using techniques from Mindfulness Based-CBT, DBT, Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential, Narrative, Strength Based, Motivational Interviewing, IFS-Informed, and Play Therapy.
Overall Description:
Sometimes clients experience feeling stuck in their situations.
I utilize an integrative approach with curiosity and compassion in the therapeutic process, enabling clients to explore options to help them navigate their way out of feeling stuck.
My goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment so clients would walk away knowing that they have been heard and feeling supported in their therapeutic process.
I am passionate about helping clients find hope and create meaning, and live more functional, fulfilled lives. I consider the therapeutic relationship as one of the key ingredients to effective therapy. It is my belief that clients know themselves the best. My role as a therapist is to provide a warm presence and safe space for clients to explore personal issues and gain insights on how to navigate through their situational and relational issues.
More than Just My Work:
I enjoy hiking, eating, cycling, musicals, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and carpentry.
Experience:
Susan is a Registered Associate MFT graduated with a MA in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Health Psychology from Santa Clara University. She has provided psychotherapy services in a variety of settings with clients of all ages. She worked at an elementary school, supporting students with anxiety, low self-esteem, grief, depression, academic pressure, parental pressure, and challenges adjusting to new experiences and transitions. In a private practice setting, she has worked with youths and adults experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, anger, procrastination, gender identity issues, social anxiety and more. Susan has also volunteered at a local university working with adult individuals and couples from the academic community with issues such as work pressure, stress, burnout, life transitions, relationship issues, and spirituality.
Susan’s background includes working in the high-tech industry for more than a decade before transitioning to an adjunct professor role. She has taught at the doctorate level business courses for 11 years and served on dissertation committees. She has also taught MBA courses for 19+ years. Susan understands the challenge of managing stress and pressure that working adults face daily balancing work, school, family, and other commitments. She found that students came to her for non-academic issues more often than academic matters. With strong encouragement and support from friends and students, she decided to enroll in a counseling psychology program and begin her journey toward becoming a therapist.
Education:
- Master of Art in Counseling Psychology with Health Psychology emphasis, Santa Clara University
- Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership, University of Phoenix
- Master of Business Administration, University of Phoenix
Training:
- Attended one year of weekly two-hour trainings focused on a variety of issues and therapy modalities relating to child therapy.
- Participated in 6 months weekly one-hour trainings focused on different approaches and modalities relating to couple’s therapy.
Professional Affiliations: CAMFT