Susanne Loar, LCSW

Susanne Loar is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years of experience based in North Carolina. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, addictive behaviors, depression, grief, relationship concerns, and life changes. Her style is warm and collaborative and she aims to help people find practical ways to feel more confident and connected in daily life.

She draws on a mix of approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, attachment-based methods, client-centered care, and dialectical behavior therapy. Sessions focus on understanding how current patterns began, identifying helpful changes, and building skills that can be used between meetings. Susanne pays attention to how emotions show up in the body as well as in thoughts and behavior.

Susanne has extensive experience in addictive disorders and has worked in inpatient and outpatient substance use settings. She has also worked in hospitals, public mental health agencies, and the neonatal intensive care unit. Her background includes supervising associate social workers and substance use specialists.

She meets people where they are and listens with curiosity and respect. Therapy can include practical skill-building, values-based work, and attention to attachment and relationship patterns. The goal is to reduce harmful behaviors, improve coping, and support clearer choices.

Sessions are offered in English and delivered online through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Getting started involves completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a session once matched.

Approaches that guide online care

Susanne uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify unhelpful thought patterns and try small, practical behavior changes that reduce symptoms. CBT often focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and is helpful for anxiety, depression, and many stress-related problems.

She also uses acceptance and commitment therapy to help people clarify their values and take committed action toward them even when difficult feelings are present. ACT can help with chronic worry, avoidance, and situations where emotions get in the way of meaningful living.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, and then adapt methods to match those needs. This is a collaborative process and can shift over time as progress is made.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video lets people work face to face from wherever they are, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and chat or text can support brief check-ins or ongoing coaching between sessions. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy schedule and keep continuity when life gets in the way.