Emu Aragon, MS, LCMHC, LPC-MHSP, NCC, ACS
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (North Carolina)
Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health Service Provider (Tennessee)
Certified ADOS-2 Administrator
he/him
Emu sees individuals ages 12+ and couples
Therapy often begins at the intersection of story and survival - where lived experience, identity, and longing for relief quietly converge. Emu Aragon (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor whose work is shaped by over a decade of walking alongside individuals and communities navigating trauma, identity development, and complex relational worlds. Grounded in trauma-informed, relational, and culturally responsive care, Emu offers therapy as a space where Queer and Transgender folx, People of Color, and neurodivergent clients can be fully seen, named, and honored. Drawing from evidence-based approaches and a deep respect for clients’ innate wisdom, his work invites healing that is not about fixing what is broken, but about reclaiming what has always been there. He also welcomes work with romantic partners navigating challenges within either monogamous or ethically non-monogamous relationship structures.
Qualifications |
Emu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Psychology (2014) and Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (2018) from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. He is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina and a Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health Service Provider in Tennessee. Emu is a National Certified Counselor and an Approved Clinical Supervisor, with extensive experience supporting master’s-level counselors-in-training in both clinical and academic settings. He is currently a PhD student in Counseling and Counselor Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where his training emphasizes trauma-informed practice, clinical supervision, and social context. He also holds a graduate certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, reflecting his commitment to culturally responsive and justice-oriented care. Emu is trained and certified in administering the ADOS-2, an empirically validated diagnostic assessment developed to observe behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
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Counseling
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Emu brings over a decade of experience working across diverse clinical settings, including private practice, university counseling centers, community mental health, and intensive in-home services. His clinical work has included providing individual, couple, and family therapy in both English and Spanish, as well as crisis intervention and group counseling with marginalized populations. He has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults navigating trauma, neurodivergence, identity development, minority stress, and complex relational dynamics. Emu has supported clients with and without formal Autism diagnoses through key developmental stages - uniquely positioning him to administer the ADOS-2 with skill and sensitivity. In addition to his clinical work, Emu is actively involved in teaching, supervision, research, and training future counselors.
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Specialization |
Emu’s clinical approach is grounded in trauma-informed, relational, and culturally responsive care that honors clients’ lived experiences and innate wisdom. He specializes in working with Queer and Transgender individuals, People of Color, neurodivergent clients (including ADHD and autism), and those in monogamous and ethically non-monogamous or polyamorous relationships. His work integrates evidence-based approaches such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. Emu also has specialized experience in autism assessment and support, including administration of the ADOS-2, with an emphasis on strengths-based understanding and advocacy.
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Personal Life |
Outside of his clinical and academic work, Emu values creativity, connection, and grounding moments in everyday life. He sings professionally as a secondary passion and enjoys spending time in local coffee shops, where community and conversation naturally unfold. Emu shares his life with his dog, Archie, who keeps him present, amused, and balanced through life’s transitions. These personal touchstones inform the warmth, authenticity, and curiosity he brings into the therapy space.
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