Charles Austin, LCSW

Charles Austin is a licensed clinical social worker with 35 years of experience. He is licensed as an LCSW in Texas and New Mexico and practices in Santa Fe. He has long experience with addiction and recovery and understands how hard it can feel to ask for help.

He helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma, abuse, depression, or hard life changes. Sessions focus on practical steps people can try between meetings. He often draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to help change unhelpful thoughts and habits.

His background includes directing outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation programs and years of private practice work. That mix of program-level experience and one-on-one care informs how he plans treatment. He listens for what matters most to the person seated across from him and works from there.

In sessions he aims to create an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be spoken about honestly. He also uses client-centered and mindfulness approaches to help people notice patterns and make intentional choices. EMDR may be included for trauma work when appropriate.

Charles emphasizes collaboration. He draws on the person’s own values and goals to shape the work. People meet by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging to fit their schedules and needs.

How Charles uses therapy approaches online

Charles often uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; this can be useful for anxiety, stress, and depression. Client-centered work is also central, meaning sessions focus on the person’s concerns and goals while the therapist listens and reflects back what matters to them. EMDR is another option for trauma work when appropriate and when the client and therapist agree it fits the situation.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. He will talk with the person about their history, goals, and what feels most comfortable. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress is made or needs change.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits for this style of work. Video calls let people hold deeper conversations and use visual feedback, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is low or a shorter check-in is needed, and live chat or text messaging make it easier to fit support into busy days. These formats increase flexibility and make it simpler to keep therapy consistent with real-life demands.