Margaret Swanson, LICSW | Therapist in Vermont

25 years experience
LICSW in VT and NH
Codependency support

About Margaret

Margaret Swanson is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, and codependency. She brings 25 years of experience in Vermont to work with people dealing with life transitions and identity concerns. Her style is steady and direct, focused on clear goals and practical steps.

Margaret uses a blend of approaches to match each person’s needs. She listens first, then offers tools drawn from cognitive behavioral methods and acceptance-based practices. Sessions aim to strengthen self-awareness, build coping skills, and improve communication in everyday life.

Clients can expect an empathic tone alongside concrete strategies. She helps people notice patterns that cause pain and try small changes that add up. Work may include learning new ways to manage strong emotions and to respond differently in stressful moments.

Margaret has long experience addressing trauma, parenting strain, workplace stress, and identity issues within LGBT and other communities. She also supports those coping with chronic illness, caregiving burdens, abandonment or adoption-related concerns, and attachment issues.

Her practice emphasizes collaboration. Together with each person she clarifies priorities, tracks progress, and adjusts the plan as needed. To begin, readers are encouraged to use the site’s Start Therapy button and follow the matching steps to schedule a first session.

Approaches that translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on clarifying values and taking small steps toward a meaningful life, which can help with anxiety, depression, and codependency. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down patterns of thinking and behavior into manageable pieces and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful habits, useful for stress, mood, and addiction concerns. Attachment-Based Therapy emphasizes understanding early relationship patterns and how they affect current connections, which can aid people dealing with attachment issues, abandonment, or relationship-related anxiety.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Margaret will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences. That means trying techniques, reviewing what helps, and adjusting the plan as needed rather than committing to a single path from the start.

Session formats are not specified in the listed biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Many people find online sessions helpful because they fit into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow for consistent check-ins during life transitions. Online work can also make it easier to practice new skills between meetings, track progress, and try behavioral experiments in daily settings.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety AddictionsFamily conflictsGrief Depression

Also works with

LGBTTrauma and abuseParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issues Dependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separation Domestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgiveness Guilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityIsolation / loneliness JealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

25+ years

Credentials

New Hampshire, Vermont

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, codependency, trauma, parenting strain, and related life changes.

What is her therapy style like?

Her approach is collaborative and practical, combining listening with skill-building and small, actionable steps.

How much experience does she have?

She brings 25 years of clinical experience practicing in Vermont and working through a wide range of emotional and life transition issues.

What credentials and location apply?

She holds a LICSW and practices in Vermont; her credentials are listed as VT LICSW and NH LICSW.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

Are international clients accepted?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How does pricing work?

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

How do I begin working together?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

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