Dara Charlton , LCSW

Dara Charlton is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Oregon with 20 years of practice. She focuses on helping adults manage anxiety, depression, grief, relationship concerns, and other life stresses. Dara aims for straightforward, steady support rather than quick fixes. Her sessions are practical and person-centered. She listens first, then helps people notice patterns that keep them stuck. Together they build clearer communication, better coping skills, and stronger emotional balance. She uses approaches like cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and emotion-focused work to fit each person’s needs. Dara has worked with people facing burnout, compassion fatigue, chronic illness, and caregiving strain. She also helps people dealing with body image, intimacy-related concerns, addictions, and the fallout from trauma and abuse. Her practice includes attention to attachment, abandonment, and commitment worries when those come up. People meet her for help with life transitions, parenting strain, sleep problems, anger, and difficulties around sex or kink when they want nonjudgmental conversation and practical tools. She prioritizes clear, manageable steps clients can try between sessions. The work is collaborative and paced to what each person can handle. Her style blends acceptance with gentle challenge. Dara supports clients who want to understand their feelings and change habits that aren’t serving them. She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging so people can choose what fits their day.

Approaches that translate well to online therapy

Dara combines client-centered work with cognitive behavioral tools and mindfulness practices to help people address everyday struggles. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship so people can speak openly and explore what matters most. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts and behaviors, teaching practical exercises to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and change unhelpful habits. Mindfulness therapy helps people notice their experience in the moment and learn short practices to calm the body and steady attention.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Dara works collaboratively to identify which methods fit a person's goals and preferences and adjusts techniques over time. Clients and therapist check in together about what’s helping and what needs to change so the work stays relevant.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different days and needs. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and teaching exercises. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging support brief updates, processing between sessions, or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to keep consistent work while fitting therapy into a busy life.