Austin Raines, Therapist
Specialty Areas
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Suicidal thoughts
- Adolescent therapy
- Young adult therapy
- Self-harm
- Life transitions
- Emotion regulation
- Disordered eatng
- Self-esteem
Austin Raines, MA, LCMHC
Hi! My name is Austin and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with you!
I’m a Charlotte native who has a unique understanding of the challenges that teens and young adults face in this community. My role as a therapist is to help you discover and access your strengths so you can face those challenges head on!
After growing up in Charlotte, I attended the University of Mississippi where I studied marketing. After graduating, I spent four years working for a sports marketing agency, where I experienced the high-pressure demands of the corporate world. This insight directly shaped my understanding of how stress, feelings of inadequacy, and burnout impact mental health, inspiring me to pursue a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
For the past three years, I’ve worked with teens, young adults, and parents in a higher level of care setting, guiding them through challenges such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, life transitions, and emotion regulation. I use a tailored approach, blending Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Attachment Based Family Therapy (ABFT) to meet each client’s or families needs. I integrate my own lived experience with my therapeutic training as I offer guidance and support during these demanding stages of life.
In my free time, I love to explore Charlotte, play golf, and watch football (I’ve been in the championship of my fantasy football league for the last three years). I’m a total movie buff and you can catch me at the movie theater probably once a week. I also love to spend time with my wife, who is also a therapist, and my friends.
There are so many wonderful choices out there, right?! Please read more about each of us HERE to get to know us a bit and to make sure our specialties align with your presenting concerns. You’ll also want to get a good feel for our personalities and styles since a good fit is a must, so feel free to contact us and we can do a free meet-and-greet. We don’t take it personally if it’s not the right match, so please be honest and we’ll help you find the right fit!
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Suicidal thoughts
- Adolescent therapy
- Young adult therapy
- Self-harm
- Life transitions
- Emotion regulation
- Disordered eatng
- Self-esteem
(Adapted from Shrink Chicks!)
- Am I truly depleted and too busy today or am I avoid talking about something hard?
- What would make today’s session worth it, if I left with just one takeaway?
- Could I benefit from even just a shorter lesson or switching to telehealth rather than totally cancelling?
- If I skip this session, will I lose momentum and will it be harder to return?
- What topic am I most avoidant of talking about and what’s one sentence I could start with?
- If not therapy today, what’s my plan for support (journaling, practicing skills I’ve learned, calling a friend, etc.) and is that enough?
- Favorite movies: Oceans 11, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Gladiator
- Favorite bands/singers: Dave Matthews Band, Bob Dylan
- Favorite food/restaurants: Beef ‘N Bottle, Paco’s Tacos
I do this work because I know how important it is to have a place where you can actually be heard. Most teens and young adults are carrying way more than people realize, and they don’t always have a place where they can be themselves without worrying about judgment or being misunderstood.
I like giving people a space where they can be real, figure out what’s going on under the surface, and pick up a few solid tools to make life feel more manageable. Seeing someone go from overwhelmed or misunderstood to more grounded and confident is what keeps me passionate about the work I do!