Austa Murray, LCSW
Trauma-informed therapist with attachment focus
- Attachment-focused care
- Trauma-informed approach
- CBT skill development
About Austa Murray
Austa Murray is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than two decades of experience across diverse mental health settings. She has provided individual, group, and family therapy with an emphasis on beginning treatment where each person or family wants to begin. Her practice blends attachment and trauma-informed perspectives with developmental understanding to address concerns such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship and parenting challenges, sexual assault and emotional abuse, and other trauma-related issues.
Her therapeutic style is compassionate, non-judgmental, educational, and insight-oriented. She draws on a strengths-based framework and offers practical skill development alongside deeper exploration to help clients navigate the circumstances that brought them to therapy. Clinical methods include cognitive behavioral techniques and solution-focused strategies, informed by attachment principles and trauma work, to tailor support to each person’s needs.
In sessions she aims to move at a pace that feels manageable for the client while building a trusting connection that supports growth and healing. Austa frames therapy as a collaborative process, working with clients to develop a plan that addresses their goals and priorities while honoring their individual experiences and developmental context.
Her therapeutic style is compassionate, non-judgmental, educational, and insight-oriented. She draws on a strengths-based framework and offers practical skill development alongside deeper exploration to help clients navigate the circumstances that brought them to therapy. Clinical methods include cognitive behavioral techniques and solution-focused strategies, informed by attachment principles and trauma work, to tailor support to each person’s needs.
In sessions she aims to move at a pace that feels manageable for the client while building a trusting connection that supports growth and healing. Austa frames therapy as a collaborative process, working with clients to develop a plan that addresses their goals and priorities while honoring their individual experiences and developmental context.
Areas of Expertise
Primary Focus
Also Specializes In
LGBTRelationship issuesGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional Focus Areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic Approach
Attachment-Based Therapy Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Gottman Method Narrative Therapy Psychodynamic Therapy Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much experience does Austa Murray have?
Austa Murray has 22 years of experience.
Is Austa Murray a licensed therapist?
Yes. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW. License details: IL LCSW 149.010100.
In which languages does Austa Murray provide therapy?
Therapy is provided in English.
Where is Austa Murray located?
She is located in Illinois.
How can I work with Austa Murray as my therapist?
You can work with Austa Murray through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
Does Austa Murray work with international clients?
Austa Murray does not currently work with international clients.
How much does therapy with Austa Murray cost?
The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as your location and the therapist's availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, just click the "Start Therapy" button on this page.
How can I get started with therapy?
Getting started with therapy is quick and straightforward. Just click the "Start Therapy" button and complete a short questionnaire that helps match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, you can then schedule your first session, which may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.
Attachment and Cognitive Approaches in Online Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy helps explore patterns in close relationships and how early bonds influence current emotions and behavior; it is useful for people working through abandonment, attachment concerns, blended family issues, and relationship difficulties. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and building practical skills to change mood and behavior, making it helpful for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a collaborative, respectful therapeutic relationship where the therapist follows the client’s lead and supports self-directed growth, which can be beneficial for building self-esteem and navigating complex personal challenges.
Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Austa works collaboratively with clients to assess needs, goals, and preferences, and she adapts methods over time so therapy remains relevant and effective for each person. Licensed professionals and therapists can combine elements from different approaches to fit individual circumstances.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging - allowing clients to access care around work, family, or geographic constraints. This range of options supports consistent engagement and makes it easier to integrate therapy into everyday life.