Kristi Rakes, LCSW, LISW-CP

Kristi Rakes, LCSW, LISW-CP, focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, or life changes. She speaks plainly and listens with empathy, aiming to make sessions feel straightforward and respectful. Her practice centers on practical steps people can use between meetings to feel more in control and hopeful.

Kristi brings 13 years of clinical experience in mental health and works from a holistic, strength-based place. She uses approaches such as Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify small changes that make daily life easier. Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing also appear in her work to support emotional regulation and readiness for change.

Her background includes experience with a broad range of concerns, including mood disorders, trauma and abuse, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting stress, and issues tied to aging and caregiving. She also supports people dealing with grief, hospice and end-of-life concerns, postpartum depression, and compassion fatigue.

Kristi practices in North Carolina as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice. Her approach centers on listening first, then tailoring practical skills that fit a person’s life and goals. She aims to help people notice strengths, build coping tools, and move toward clearer next steps.

People who prefer an empathic, straightforward style may find her approach useful. She encourages honest conversation and focuses on workable strategies for everyday challenges.

How approaches like CBT and client-centered work online

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and responding to what matters most to the person. In online sessions this means the therapist follows the client's lead, reflects concerns, and helps people name their goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and trying different actions to shift them. CBT can help with anxiety, depression, panic, and unhelpful habits by practicing new skills between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of therapy. The therapist will work together with the person to try methods that match their needs and preferences. That collaborative process includes checking what helps, adjusting techniques, and focusing on concrete goals the person cares about.

The original profile does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online work can make scheduling easier and help people fit therapy into busy days. It can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and make it simpler to maintain continuity of care during life transitions.