Mary Sudduth, LCSW

Mary Sudduth is a licensed clinical social worker with 16 years of counseling experience. She meets people where they are and helps them take practical steps toward feeling better. Her work often focuses on stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addictions, caregiving strain, and challenges that come with illness or aging.

Mary focuses on simple, actionable strategies. She uses tools like relaxation skills, worksheets, and problem-solving to reduce day-to-day distress. Sessions are guided by what each person needs rather than a single fixed method.

Her background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work with a minor in gerontology from Christopher Newport University and a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has worked in healthcare social work, mental health, substance use settings, education, and nonprofit programs.

Mary has experience helping people facing cancer, chronic pain, hospice and end-of-life concerns, and caregiver stress. She also supports people with relationship and family of origin issues, work stress, and mood conditions such as bipolar disorder.

In the therapy room she adapts clinical ideas from client-centered work, cognitive behavioral ideas, psychodynamic thinking, solution-focused techniques, and parts work from Internal Family Systems. The aim is to combine approaches into a plan that fits the person and their life.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Mary commonly draws on client-centered work and cognitive behavioral ideas in her practice. Client-centered work focuses on listening closely and building a plan that fits each person's priorities, which helps when life changes feel overwhelming. Cognitive behavioral approaches break problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions and teach concrete skills to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and tackle unhelpful habits.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with the client about goals and preferences, try methods that match those goals, and adjust the plan as progress is made. Clients and therapist decide together which techniques to use and how to pace the work.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into busy schedules and reducing travel time. Online work can make it easier to keep regular appointments during medical treatment, caregiving periods, or other time pressures. The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking to see what will work best for day-to-day life.