Mary Sudduth

Mary Sudduth is a licensed clinical social worker with 16 years of clinical experience who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and career concerns. She guides clients through life changes and problems that interfere with daily functioning. Her style is practical and down-to-earth, focusing on clear steps people can try between sessions.

Mary draws on a variety of therapeutic approaches to meet each person's needs. She uses client-centered work to follow what matters most to the individual. She also applies cognitive behavioral ideas to identify unhelpful thoughts and try small behavior changes. Psychodynamic ideas and solution-focused techniques are used when helpful to uncover patterns and set short-term goals.

Her background includes practice in healthcare social work, mental health, substance use, education, and nonprofit settings. Mary has 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 holds Virginia LCSW licensure and has supported people facing chronic illness, cancer, end-of-life concerns, and caregiver stress.

Sessions typically include practical tools such as relaxation techniques, worksheets, and resources to use between meetings. Mary often combines problem-solving steps with reflection about patterns that keep problems recurring. She approaches work with people of varied cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and different sexual orientations.

Her goal is to help clients move toward greater balance in mental, physical, social, and spiritual areas of life. To begin, people are invited to take a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

How Mary’s Approaches Shape Online Work

Mary uses client-centered methods that keep the client's priorities first, listening closely and adapting each session to the person's needs. This approach helps people name what matters most and set the pace for change.

She also uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help identify unhelpful thoughts and try practical behavior changes. CBT-style work is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress by teaching small experiments and coping strategies to try between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide whether client-centered listening, CBT exercises, or a mix of approaches fits best based on goals and preferences. That decision can change over time as needs evolve.

Confirm the session formats available before booking, as specific online options are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy life, shorten travel time, and allow focused check-ins during a break at work or between commitments. It also supports using worksheets and exercises digitally so people can practice tools between meetings.