Margarita Araiza-Johnston, LCSW

Margarita Araiza-Johnston is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a decade of professional experience supporting individuals and families. She holds a Master of Social Work from Tulane University and completed a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology with a Minor in French at the University of Redlands. Her clinical journey includes work with children and families in Illinois and California, hospice social work, and roles as a suicide and crisis counselor in Louisiana, bringing a depth of experience across settings.

Margarita completed training in the Theory and Practice of Mediation and in Family Law Mediation, which complements her background in assessment, family systems, and domestic violence work. She offers bilingual therapy in English and Spanish and has focused expertise in areas such as child abuse and neglect, crisis counseling, and suicide prevention. Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including family and parenting challenges, depression, anxiety, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, LGBT matters, stress, and compassion fatigue.

Known for an empathetic and practical approach, Margarita draws on attachment-based methods, cognitive behavioral techniques, emotionally-focused work, motivational interviewing, and narrative therapy to tailor support to each person. Based in New Mexico, she provides thoughtful, strengths-oriented care for people navigating life changes and relational strains.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Margarita integrates Attachment-Based Therapy to explore how early relationship patterns influence current connections and emotional responses, helping people improve intimacy, family dynamics, and attachment concerns. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a practical approach that helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety, manage depression, and build coping skills. Emotionally-Focused Therapy is another tool in her practice, aimed at deepening emotional awareness and strengthening bonds in couples and close relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Margarita works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting strategies over time as progress unfolds. This collaborative stance helps clients feel involved and respected in shaping their care.

Online therapy with Margarita is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to increase flexibility and accessibility. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, family commitments, or other responsibilities, and support continuity of care when in-person meetings are not possible. Licensed professionals can use these formats to provide consistent, goal-oriented support tailored to each individual.