Suzanne Baer

Compassionate clinician blending skills and empathy

LCPC Illinois

Experience: 22 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Suzanne

Suzanne Baer is an Illinois-licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) with 22 years of experience supporting people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression.

Background and approach

She brings experience from inpatient drug and alcohol treatment, sexual abuse counseling, and community mental health, and has worked with a broad range of concerns including relationship and career challenges as well as life transitions. Her approach is warm, interactive, and adaptable; she aims to meet each person where they are and tailors conversations to individual needs.

Suzanne draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside client-centered methods, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness techniques, motivational interviewing, and narrative-informed ideas to help clients build skills, reframe unhelpful patterns, and move through painful experiences. Clients can expect a practitioner who combines practical tools with empathetic listening and a focus on collaboration.

Suzanne frames therapy as a journey shared with the client, offering encouragement, challenge, and coaching to support growth and greater well-being.

How Suzanne’s Approaches Translate to Online Therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening with empathy and creating a collaborative environment where the client’s goals guide the work; online formats allow this supportive stance to continue through conversation and reflective exercises. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes identifying thoughts and behaviors that contribute to distress and practicing concrete strategies to change them, which fits well with video or messaging tools for homework, worksheets, and skill practice. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills in emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, and those skills can be taught, rehearsed, and reinforced through remote sessions and follow-up messages.

Choosing an approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Suzanne will work together with each client to determine which methods best align with their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative decision making helps tailor a plan that evolves as progress is made.

Online therapy with Suzanne uses video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility in how and when clients engage. These options can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and access support from home or other convenient locations.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Suzanne commonly address?

She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression, along with related issues such as attachment difficulties, body image, caregiver stress, chronic pain and illness, and relationship problems.

What therapeutic approaches does she use in sessions?

Suzanne integrates Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and narrative-informed techniques to match interventions to each client’s needs.

How long has she been practicing?

She has 22 years of experience working as a therapist, mentor, and life coach across inpatient treatment, sexual abuse counseling, and community mental health settings.

What are her credentials and where is she licensed?

Suzanne holds the LCPC credential and is licensed in Illinois with license number IL LCPC 180.007079.

Does she work with people who speak other languages or international clients?

Sessions are provided in English, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.

In what formats are sessions offered?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.

How is cost handled for therapy sessions?

Costs vary based on location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to begin working together?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Trauma and abuse Grief Depression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobias Post-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

22+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English