John Burns MSW, LCSW

Accepting Clients

John Burns, LCSW, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Uses EMDR, IFS, Clinical Hypnosis. Complex and developmental trauma. 35 years in practice

Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Charlotte, NC

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Free 15-minute call, no obligation.

About My Clients

Montgomery Counseling Group serves children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Our clients often deal with the long reach of earlier experiences, whether that shows up as anxiety, persistent low mood, relational difficulty, or patterns that feel impossible to shift alone. We are a trauma-informed practice whose clinicians share a common framework. The work here is coordinated, not incidental. If you are looking for a practice where depth is the standard, this is the right fit.

My Background and Approach

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years of clinical experience, including more than 20 years in Charlotte. I specialize in complex and developmental trauma and work with adults navigating the long-term effects of earlier relational experiences. My primary approaches are EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Ericksonian Clinical Hypnosis. I hold the EMDRIA Approved Consultant designation, an advanced credential representing deep EMDR experience across complex presentations. This matters when pacing and adaptation are required. My hypnosis training comes from the Milton Erickson Foundation, with advanced study under Michael Yapko. I am a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. This tradition works indirectly, reaching what direct conversation cannot. I use these approaches together because complex trauma rarely responds to one method. The combination lets work move at the level the person is ready for.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

At the center of how I work is a belief borrowed from Milton Erickson: every person who walks into a therapy room brings more resources than they know. Erickson called this utilization, the idea that the therapist's job is not to fix what is broken but to find and build on what is already there. That principle shapes not just my clinical approach but the culture we try to build at Montgomery Counseling Group. Outside the office, I serve on the board of Lifespan Services, a Charlotte organization that supports children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through education, employment, and community inclusion. That work is an extension of the same belief: people have capacity, and the right environment brings it forward. I have spent 50 years with a camera in my hand. Photography has taught me to slow down and look with attention, to find what is worth noticing in an ordinary moment. That same quality of attention is what I try to bring into the therapy room.

Qualifications

License
MSW, LCSW, State of North Carolina · #C006707
Supervision
Provides supervision to apprentice therapists · currently accepting supervisees
Years in practice
35 years

Insurance Plans Accepted

  • Aetna
  • Medicare
  • TRICARE
  • United Behavioral Health (UBH)
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)

I offer online counseling in the following states:

Hours & Availability

New clients welcome
Currently accepting new clients
In-person & Telehealth
Both available

Location

Primary Location

4108 Park Road
Ste 410
Charlotte, NC 28209
9809498990

Access & Transport

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance (ADA compliant)
Open in Google Maps ↗ · GPS: 35.1749532°, -80.8513955°

At A Glance

  • Experience: 35 years of practice
  • Rate: $50 - 200/session

Info

Email John
4108 Park Road
Ste 410
Charlotte, NC 28209

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