Suzanne Baer , LCPC

Suzanne Baer is a licensed clinical professional counselor with 22 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression. She works with individuals facing relationship strain, life transitions, and the everyday challenges that come with caregiving, chronic illness, or recovery from loss.

Her approach is warm and straightforward. She listens first, then shapes conversations to fit each person's needs. Sessions focus on practical steps, clearer thinking, and building skills to manage strong emotions and tough situations.

Suzanne draws from several methods to guide her work. She uses client-centered conversation to make space for the client's priorities. Cognitive behavioral ideas help identify and change unhelpful thinking. Dialectical behavior techniques teach ways to tolerate distress and improve emotional regulation.

Her background includes inpatient drug and alcohol treatment, sexual abuse counseling, and community mental health settings. That experience informs how she supports people dealing with addiction, trauma, and complex life stressors.

Suzanne practices in Illinois and holds an IL LCPC credential, which stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. She offers a supportive, collaborative stance and focuses on small, steady steps people can take between sessions.

Therapeutic Approaches Online and How They Help

Client-centered therapy puts the client's goals and experiences first. It involves active listening and open conversation to help people clarify what matters to them and move toward change. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and acting to reduce anxiety and low mood. Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and coping with distress.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, try techniques that fit their needs, and adjust the plan over time. That way sessions use methods that feel useful and realistic for the client's day-to-day life.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging makes it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules. Video calls work well for deeper conversations and skill practice. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or a camera is not wanted. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, reminders, and ongoing support between longer meetings. These formats give flexibility while keeping the focus on practical steps and emotional support.