Kristi Rakes

Kristi Rakes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who focuses on helping people manage strong emotions and life stress. She speaks plainly and listens with empathy to help callers feel heard. Her approach aims to make difficult days more manageable and to build on personal strengths.

She uses a blend of talk-based methods to help people understand patterns that feed anger, anxiety, and depression. Sessions often include practical steps to cope with stress and skills to improve self-esteem. Kristi draws on 13 years of experience in mental health to tailor support to each person’s situation.

Her background includes work with grief, caregiver strain, mood disorders, and issues around identity and relationships. She has experience supporting people facing end-of-life concerns and chronic caregiving stress. This experience informs a calm, respectful approach when dealing with painful or sensitive topics.

In sessions she emphasizes collaboration and real-world tools. That can mean finding small, doable changes or practicing ways to notice and shift unhelpful thoughts. She also uses mindfulness and narrative techniques to help people move away from self-criticism and toward clearer goals.

Kristi holds credentials as LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and LISW-CP, Licensed Independent Social Worker - Clinical Practice. She practices in North Carolina and conducts work in English. To begin, readers are asked to use the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire before scheduling.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the person's lead. The therapist creates space for people to name what matters and to notice their strengths. This approach is useful when someone feels overwhelmed or unclear about next steps.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. Sessions often include simple experiments and practical strategies to change unhelpful thinking and reduce symptoms like anxiety or anger.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches attention skills to help someone notice reactions without getting swept away by them. These practices can lower reactivity and support calmer decision making during stressful moments.

Finding the right approach is treated as a team effort. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, try methods that fit their style, and adjust based on what helps. That collaborative process helps clarify which techniques make the most sense for daily life.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy schedule and reducing travel time. Because formats are not listed here, confirm which session types are offered before booking. Many people find that remote sessions make it easier to maintain regular meetings and to apply skills between sessions.