Austa Murray, LCSW
Calm, practical therapy with narrative insight
Details
| Name | Austa Murray |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LCSW |
| Based in | Illinois |
| Licensed in | Illinois |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 22 |
About Austa
Austa Murray is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 22 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. She takes a patient, steady approach and begins where each person feels ready to start. Her goal is to build a trusting connection so people can get the support they need.
She uses a narrative perspective to help people make sense of painful events and shifting life stories.
Background and approach
Austa also draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns. Sessions focus on practical skills, clearer understanding, and small changes that feel doable. Her style is compassionate and non-judgmental.
She listens first, then shares tools and ideas people can try between sessions. That often includes coping skills from cognitive behavior approaches and strategies for managing intense emotions. Austa has worked in a variety of mental health settings across her career, giving her experience with many concerns from relationship and intimacy issues to parenting stress and grief.
She also supports people dealing with ADHD, burnout, compassion fatigue, and identity questions within LGBT concerns. In sessions she collaborates with each person to set goals and plans that fit their life. People can expect straightforward language, respect for their pace, and a focus on skills they can use right away.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse among the things Austa works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trichotillomania
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Gottman Method: Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Austa among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Austa directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Austa directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
Using Narrative and Attachment Work Online
A narrative approach helps people put words to what happened and to rewrite problem-saturated stories in ways that feel more manageable. It is useful for trauma, identity questions, and for people who want to change the stories they tell about themselves.Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns in close connections. This approach helps people recognize repeated interaction patterns and learn new ways of relating that reduce reactivity and rebuild trust in themselves and others.
Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences, then try strategies that match those needs. Together they adjust the plan over time based on what helps most.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or for a quick check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for ongoing support between sessions and for people who prefer writing to talking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and changing routines.
Common questions about this listing
What issues does she help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, grief, bipolar concerns, ADHD, and related topics such as abandonment and attachment issues.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
The approach is compassionate and non-judgmental with an emphasis on listening first. Sessions mix narrative exploration, skill teaching, and practical strategies from cognitive behavioral and emotion regulation approaches.
What kind of background does she have?
She holds a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential and brings 22 years of experience across multiple mental health settings, including individual and group work.
Where is she based and licensed?
She is licensed as an LCSW in Illinois and practices from that state.
Can I work with her if English is not my first language?
Sessions are offered in English only.
Are online sessions available and in what formats?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Austa are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Austa where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
Or see other therapists in Illinois »
This is a partner link. We will earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.
Other listings in Illinois
- Debbie Hayes, LCPC - Illinois
- Dr. Latrice Maric, LCPC - Illinois
- Natalie Eden, LCPC, LPC - Illinois
- Thérèse Fletcher, LCSW - Illinois
- All therapists for stress, anxiety »