About Mary
Mary Sudduth greets readers with a calm, practical presence. She is a licensed clinical social worker - LCSW - based in Virginia with 16 years of clinical experience. Her approach is straightforward and focused on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life transitions.
Mary sees mental health as part of a whole life picture. She blends mental, physical, social, and spiritual elements when helping someone make changes. Sessions emphasize practical steps - relaxation skills, simple worksheets, and clear problem-solving - to reduce daily pressure and build routines that help.
Background and approach
Her background spans healthcare social work, mental health, substance use, education, and nonprofit work. Mary earned 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 with people facing chronic and acute medical conditions, caregiving stress, cancer-related concerns, and end-of-life issues.
Therapy sessions often draw on Cognitive Behavioral techniques, client-centered listening, and elements of psychodynamic and systems thinking. She prefers an individualized mix of tools based on each person’s situation and goals. That flexibility allows short-term problem solving or deeper work, depending on need.
People who meet with Mary can expect a practical, down-to-earth style focused on usable skills. She helps clients build coping tools, untangle relationship and family patterns, and find ways to manage emotions and day-to-day responsibilities.
Online approaches that focus on practical change
Mary uses Client-Centered Therapy to build a respectful, listening relationship where clients can set the pace and goals for their work. This approach helps when someone needs validation, clearer goals, and a steady space to talk through tough decisions.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify thought and behavior patterns that keep problems going. CBT sessions often include exercises and homework such as tracking thoughts, testing assumptions, and trying small behavior changes to ease anxiety or low mood.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try techniques, and adjust plans based on what helps most. That means sessions can focus on short-term solutions or deeper patterns as needed.
Online formats offer flexibility for busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a longer session is helpful. Phone sessions can fit a break at work or reduce bandwidth needs. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for shorter check-ins, quick skill practice, or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around daily responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 16 years
- Licensed
- Virginia
- Languages
- English