Susan Q Mason LGPC in Baltimore: Individual and Group Therapy for Injury Recovery
Susan Q Mason is a licensed professional counselor offering individual and group mental health counseling in Baltimore, with a focus on patients navigating the psychological demands of physical recovery from injury and chronic pain. Her practice differs from typical outpatient physical therapy clinics by integrating emotional and behavioral support alongside or in place of hands-on rehabilitation, a service gap that many physical therapy patients encounter when pain or fear of movement interferes with recovery.
What Susan Q Mason LGPC actually is
Susan Q Mason holds a Licensed Professional Counselor (LGPC) credential issued by the state of Maryland, which governs talk therapy and counseling but not physical manipulation or exercise prescription. Her scope is mental health treatment, not physical therapy in the traditional sense. For patients in Baltimore, this distinction matters: she does not administer manual therapy, prescribe home exercises, or measure range of motion. Instead, she helps patients address the psychological barriers that often stall physical rehabilitation—anxiety about re-injury, frustration with slow progress, or pain catastrophizing—that can prevent someone from committing to a physical therapy regimen or from completing one successfully.
How Mason's counseling complements or substitutes for traditional PT
Baltimore has dozens of outpatient physical therapy practices, from large health system affiliates like MedStar and UM Capital Region to independent clinics like Charm City Physical Therapy and Aqua PT, many of which employ licensed physical therapists (DPTs) who perform hands-on care and functional retraining. Mason's role is not to replace those services but to address the mental health layer that blocks progress. A patient working with a physical therapist at Medstar Orthopaedic Institute, for example, might concurrently see Mason if fear of movement or depression over injury complications is preventing engagement with prescribed exercises. Alternatively, patients who have completed physical therapy but are stuck in a cycle of fear-avoidance or who face insurance or financial barriers to ongoing PT can use Mason's counseling to maintain psychological momentum toward recovery.
The two approaches serve different populations. Patients with fresh injuries, recent surgery, or clear neuromuscular deficits should start with a DPT. Patients whose injury is weeks or months old, whose medical team has cleared them for activity, but who struggle emotionally with doing so benefit from Mason's licensing and training.
Services and session structure
Mason offers individual and group counseling sessions. Individual sessions are standard 50-minute clinical hours; group sessions bring together patients with similar recovery challenges, reducing the sense of isolation and allowing peer learning. Pricing for individual sessions is not listed publicly; Baltimore-area therapists typically charge between $100 and $250 per session, with variation by credential (LGPC vs. PhD or PsyD), experience, and whether insurance is accepted. Readers should verify current rates and insurance participation by contacting her office directly.
Group sessions, where available, are sometimes lower in cost per session than individual work and can be more sustainable for long-term recovery support, though they require a degree of privacy comfort that not all patients have.
Who this serves and who it does not
Mason's practice is well-suited to Baltimore residents dealing with chronic pain, post-surgical anxiety, or motivational barriers to rehabilitation. It is also appropriate for patients whose injury has created secondary mental health effects—depression, hypervigilance, or avoidance—that interfere with daily function independent of physical limitations.
It is not appropriate as a substitute for acute physical therapy immediately after injury, nor is it suitable for patients without mental health barriers to their recovery. Someone recovering straightforwardly from a rotator cuff repair with a licensed physical therapist and no anxiety does not need counseling. Similarly, Mason's LGPC credential does not permit her to diagnose or treat medical conditions; a patient needing imaging interpretation, medication adjustment, or clearance to return to sport should work with their physician or physical therapist.
First session and what to bring
New clients typically complete an intake form covering medical history, current symptoms, and treatment goals. Bring insurance information if you plan to use it (verify in advance that Mason accepts your plan), a list of current medications, and the name of any healthcare providers involved in your recovery. Expect the first session to be assessment-focused rather than deeply therapeutic; the goal is for Mason to understand your specific barriers to recovery and for you to understand her approach.
Accessibility and scheduling
Confirm current hours, cancellation policy, and whether virtual sessions are available by contacting her office. Most individual counselors in Baltimore offer evening and early-morning slots to accommodate working schedules, but availability varies. Parking depends on the exact location; ask when you book whether street parking is reliable or whether lot parking is recommended.
Susan Q Mason's practice addresses a real gap in injury recovery support in Baltimore, particularly for patients whose emotional response to injury is outpacing their physical healing.
