Dara Charlton, LCSW

Dara Charlton is an LCSW practicing in Oregon with twenty years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who are dealing with depression, anxiety, relationship trouble, grief, and the everyday habits and thoughts that get in the way of feeling well. Dara works with adults who want straightforward support and practical tools for change.

Her approach centers on the person in front of her. Sessions focus on understanding current patterns, noticing thought and habit cycles, and finding small steps that make daily life easier. She uses a mix of client-centered listening and methods drawn from cognitive behavioral and mindfulness approaches to help people rethink unhelpful thoughts and build steadier routines.

Dara also draws on techniques from dialectical behavior therapy and emotionally-focused work when emotion regulation or relationship patterns are central. That combination can help with intense emotions, communication struggles, and repairing connection with others. She pays attention to how past experiences affect present choices and relationships.

Over two decades she has supported people through addiction, trauma and abuse, parenting stress, chronic illness and caregiver strain. She also helps with body image, intimacy-related concerns, blended family issues, and coping after natural or human-caused disasters. Sessions are aimed at increasing practical coping skills as well as deeper self-understanding.

Her style is warm and nonjudgmental. She helps people set realistic goals, practice new behaviors, and track progress between sessions. To start, Dara asks about current struggles and what a better week would look like.

Approach and online therapy options for thought and habit change

Online work with Dara draws from client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy and may include elements of dialectical behavior therapy when needed. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting working relationship, which helps people feel heard and supported while they examine habits and choices. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at how thoughts affect feelings and behavior, and it teaches concrete strategies for changing unhelpful thinking and routines. Dialectical behavior therapy adds skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness when those areas are a concern.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Dara collaborates with each person to identify goals and preferences, then shapes the focus and techniques to match those needs. That collaborative process helps make therapy more useful and relevant to everyday life.

Session formats are not specified here, so please confirm current session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, allow quieter check-ins during a workday break, and offer a way to keep continuity of care during life changes. Ask about the available formats and scheduling when you complete the matching questionnaire so sessions fit your routine.