About
- Stress and anxiety
- Parenting concerns
- Trauma support
About Lisa
Lisa Rakusin is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in California with 11 years of professional experience. She works with adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, life transitions, trauma, and other relationship or parenting concerns. Lisa frames clients as the experts on their own stories and focuses on practical steps people can take to feel steadier at home.
Her approach draws on evidence-informed methods to help people manage symptoms and improve day-to-day functioning. Sessions tend to be conversational and goal-focused. Lisa encourages small experiments between meetings to test new ways of coping and relating.
She uses attachment-based ideas to look at how past relationships influence current patterns. She also applies cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. For people processing traumatic events, she can offer EMDR-informed strategies alongside other methods to reduce distress.
Lisa pays attention to family and parenting concerns as contexts that shape a person’s stress and choices. She helps people talk through difficult conversations, set boundaries, and manage caregiving or aging issues in the family. Practical problem solving and skills building are common parts of sessions.
Clients can expect a straightforward, steady approach that emphasizes clarity and small changes. Lisa helps people organize next steps, whether that means adjusting daily routines, addressing relationship friction, or planning coping strategies for grief and life change.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape current ways of connecting. Online sessions can use this lens to notice patterns in adult relationships and plan new ways of relating. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is about spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors; it lends itself to concrete homework and short skill practice between sessions. EMDR involves structured processing of traumatic memories and elements of that work can be adapted into a paced, step-by-step approach in virtual sessions.Finding the right method is part of the first few sessions. The therapist will work collaboratively to match approaches to the client's goals and comfort. That may mean combining attachment ideas with CBT tools, or adding paced EMDR elements when trauma processing is needed.
The profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm the available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into busy days, allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, and reduce travel time. It also makes it simpler to continue work across life changes and caregiving responsibilities. Licensed professionals can adjust pacing and homework so sessions fit daily life and current priorities.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with adults on stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, relationship strain, parenting concerns, and life transitions among other issues.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her sessions are conversational and goal-focused, using practical tools and small experiments to change unhelpful patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 11 years of professional work experience as a clinician.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in California.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the profile does not specify which formats are offered.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.