Meet Chazz
(he, him, his)
Charles Avena is a Deaf Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with over 30 years of combined experience in mental health, addiction recovery, advocacy, and leadership within state and community systems. He has served in multiple clinical and administrative roles at the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, where he developed and directed Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing programs and led efforts to ensure culturally and linguistically accessible care.
At
My Deaf Therapy, Charles offers ASL-fluent, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented psychotherapy, integrating cognitive-behavioral, dialectical-behavioral, and wellness-based approaches. His compassionate and direct style helps clients strengthen boundaries, manage anxiety, and sustain emotional and relational balance.
EXPERIENCE
Charles has over 30 years of experience in mental health and addiction recovery, including leadership roles with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). He has specialized in programs serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients and has consulted on ADA compliance, accessibility, and interpreter training.
SPECIALTIES
Anxiety • Trauma • Addiction Recovery • Interpersonal Effectiveness • Deaf and Disability Advocacy • Cultural Competence • Health System Navigation
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Master of Social Work, UCONN, West Hartford, CT.
- Bachelor of Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y.
- Certification: Mental Health, UCONN, School of Social Work, West Hartford, CT.
- Certification: American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Connecticut Office of Protection and Advocacy, Hartford, CT.
- Certification: Advanced Directives, Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Middletown, CT.
- Certification: Disaster Behavioral Health Responder, Middletown, CT.
- Certification: Legislative Leadership, Hartford, CT.
- Completion: Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) Knowledge Exam (40 hours), University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
- Certification: Deaf Interpreter, Road to Deaf Interpreting (RDI), College of Holy Cross, Worcester, MA.
- Certification: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), New Haven, CT.
PUBLICATIONS
Charles has authored and contributed to several publications focused on Deaf mental health, accessibility, and advocacy.
- Position Paper on Health Care Access for Deaf Patients. (2016). Preservation of Mental Health Services for Deaf People in an Integrated Health Care. National Association of the Deaf.
- Culturalogical Assessment: Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. (2014). Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
- An Analysis of Section 8(a)(5) of the National Labor Relations Act – Management’s Refusal to Bargain. (1985). The Legal Research of Rochester Institute of Technology. RIT Press.
- The Employment Directory for College Students. (1980). Queens College Press.
