Chad Starrak, LCSW

Chad Starrak is an LCSW based in Texas who uses practical, evidence-informed methods to help people manage anxiety, stress, depression, and trauma. He focuses on clear steps people can take in day-to-day life to reduce overwhelm and find direction.

Chad combines cognitive behavioral ideas with client-centered skills and mindfulness. In sessions he helps clients notice unhelpful thoughts, learn coping skills, and practice small behavior changes. He also draws on EMDR and DBT techniques when trauma and emotional regulation need a different approach.

People come to him for a range of concerns, including panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, anger, chronic pain or illness, and struggles with codependency or dissociation. He also supports work around life purpose, caregiving strain, immigration stress, and end-of-life counseling. Sessions center on the problems the person brings and practical ways to make daily life more manageable.

Chad describes therapy as a collaborative process. He listens to the story a person brings, helps identify patterns that get in the way, and works with clients to build skills and routines that fit their life. Progress often looks like clearer decision making, fewer intense reactions, and better tools for hard moments.

He has five years of professional experience and holds a Texas LCSW license. Sessions are offered in English and can be scheduled through the site's matching and booking process.

How CBT, EMDR, and Client-Centered Work Translate to Online Therapy

Chad uses cognitive behavioral ideas to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. CBT-style work online often involves tracking thought patterns, practicing new skills between sessions, and setting small experiments to test change. EMDR is used when trauma memories are part of the problem; online sessions can guide bilateral stimulation and memory processing in paced steps to reduce distress. Client-centered therapy emphasizes being heard and understood; this looks like open, empathic listening and reflecting so the person feels their experience is respected.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. Chad will talk with the client about goals, symptoms, and preferences, then recommend methods that fit. That choice can change over time as progress is made or new needs appear, and he works together with each person to adjust the plan.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction and skill practice. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to use video. Live chat or messaging supports brief check-ins, ongoing coaching, or written reflections between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caregiving, or medical needs.