Susann Adams , MD, LCSW-C

Susann Adams is a Maryland-based clinician who combines medical training and clinical social work experience to support adults facing a range of challenges. She holds an MD and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) licensed to practice in Maryland; the MD denotes a medical degree and the LCSW-C indicates clinical social work licensure. With 25 years of professional work in behavioral health, she brings long-standing experience across settings that include work with Veterans, individuals, groups, families, and teens.

Her background also includes experience as a treatment provider within the legal system, and she has developed particular expertise in helping people manage addictions and substance use, navigate PTSD, trauma, and abuse, and cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. Susann emphasizes a strengths-based, client-centered stance - she views each person as the expert of their own story and builds treatment around the goals the client identifies.

She meets clients where they are in their lives and in treatment, which can mean supporting recovery without requiring immediate abstinence or offering shorter sessions for those who feel anxious starting therapy. Susann values practical, goal-focused work and recognizes that taking the first step to begin therapy often takes courage.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Susann Adams

Susann frequently draws on Client-Centered Therapy, an approach that focuses on the client’s own goals and perspectives and supports personal strengths and self-directed growth. This approach is useful for people who want a collaborative, nonjudgmental space to explore life challenges and clarify what matters most to them.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps clients identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. CBT is often applied to anxiety, depression, stress, and some aspects of trauma and addiction work by offering practical skills for daily coping.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is another tool in her practice when emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness are priorities. DBT teaches concrete skills to manage intense emotions and improve relationships while supporting long-term behavior change.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Susann works collaboratively with clients to determine which combination of methods best fits their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors sessions to each person rather than using a one-size-fits-all model.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it simpler to access consistent care. These formats offer flexibility for scheduling, reduce travel time, and allow clients to engage with licensed professionals in ways that fit their daily routines and comfort levels.