Emily Auten, LCSW, in Chattanooga: Individual Therapy and Clinical Assessment
Emily Auten is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in Chattanooga who provides individual psychotherapy and psychiatric evaluation for adults. Unlike psychiatrists who prescribe medication, Auten offers talk therapy, behavioral assessment, and case conceptualization. She works with adult clients who may or may not be simultaneously seeing a prescribing provider elsewhere and operates outside a hospital or large group setting, which means her practice functions as a point of care entry rather than a full-service mental health clinic.
What LCSW-level care actually is
A licensed clinical social worker holds a master's degree and clinical licensure in Tennessee and is trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions through talk therapy and behavioral intervention. LCSWs are not physicians and cannot prescribe medication in Tennessee, but they can conduct comprehensive psychiatric assessments, write treatment recommendations, and refer to psychiatrists or primary-care doctors when medication evaluation is appropriate. Auten's scope allows her to work with individuals on conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to trauma and life transitions, and to adjust treatment direction based on client response.
Services and engagement structure
Auten provides individual weekly or biweekly sessions conducted in a private office setting. Session fees and insurance acceptance policies require direct contact; practices in this category typically charge between $90 and $200 per session depending on insurance status and whether a client is self-pay or covered by a plan. Many LCSW practices in Chattanooga bill insurance directly, reducing out-of-pocket cost for clients with behavioral health coverage, though deductibles and copays apply. The first session usually includes intake paperwork and a detailed history to establish baseline symptoms and goals.
How Auten compares to other Chattanooga therapists
Chattanooga has a distributed mental health workforce. Psychiatrists (MDs with prescribing authority) like those at Erlanger Baroness Campus or Hamilton Center are the choice when medication management is the priority, though they typically see clients less frequently than therapists and focus on pharmacology rather than talk therapy depth. Psychologists (PhDs or PsyDs) offer similar talk therapy to LCSWs but hold doctoral degrees and sometimes charge higher fees. Other LCSWs in Chattanooga provide comparable individual therapy; the practical choice between them often comes down to specialization, availability, insurance panel status, and whether a client needs concurrent psychiatric prescribing (which Auten cannot provide but can help coordinate).
Who this fits and who it does not
Auten's practice suits adults seeking regular individual therapy with a clinician who can do careful diagnostic assessment and coordinate care across providers. It does not suit someone who needs immediate psychiatric crisis intervention (call 988 or go to an ER) or someone who is actively suicidal. It is also not the right fit for clients who want medication as a primary treatment and do not already have a prescriber; Auten can recommend referral, but the client will need to pursue that separately.
What a first session involves
A new client typically completes a health history form covering psychiatric symptoms, medications, family history, and current stressors. Auten will ask detailed questions about symptom onset, severity, and impact on daily functioning. She will ask about any past treatment, hospitalizations, or substance use. This intake session establishes a working diagnosis, begins to form a treatment plan, and allows both client and clinician to gauge fit. Sessions after that usually run 45 to 50 minutes and focus on the agreed-upon goals.
Hours, location, and practical details
Auten operates a private office in Chattanooga; for exact address, parking details, and available appointment times, contact her directly or check her psychology-listing profile online. Office-based practices like hers typically offer weekday afternoon or evening slots but rarely weekend hours. Parking is usually adjacent to the office, not metered.
Emily Auten fills a specific role in Chattanooga's mental health ecosystem: a clinically trained, individual therapist positioned between self-directed care and psychiatric referral. For adults in Chattanooga who need regular talk therapy without immediate need for prescribing, her practice offers that entry point.
