Richard Champion, LCSW, CSW

Richard Champion, LCSW, CSW, brings more than 25 years of experience in substance abuse and mental health treatment to his practice. He has developed a deep understanding of the distinct challenges faced by many underserved communities and works to meet each client where they are. Richard focuses on helping people identify their strengths, build resilience, and create practical steps toward healing and personal growth.

His clinical work addresses a range of concerns, including anger management, substance abuse, and overall emotional well-being. He works with diverse populations and adapts his approach to reflect each person’s cultural background and life context. Richard’s therapeutic style blends evidence-based methods to support lasting change and improved functioning.

Richard integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help clients overcome obstacles and move toward a more fulfilling life. He believes in the inherent strengths and wisdom that clients bring to therapy and aims to provide a respectful, collaborative environment where growth and healing can occur. LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker and CSW denotes Clinical Social Worker, both indicating formal training and licensure in social work and clinical practice.

Evidence-Based Approaches for Online Care

Richard uses several evidence-based techniques to guide online work with clients. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression and to improve daily functioning. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes accepting difficult emotions while clarifying personal values and committing to actions that create a more meaningful life - it can be especially helpful for stress, anxiety, and long-standing avoidance patterns. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, goal-oriented conversation style that helps people resolve ambivalence and strengthen motivation for change, often used with substance use and behavior change efforts.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process. Richard collaborates with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress is made to ensure a good fit.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video or phone allow face-to-face interaction from home, while live chat and text-based messaging support shorter, more frequent check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to maintain continuity of care despite geographic or time constraints.