Kathrina Cauckwell-Rafferty , LCSW

Kathrina Cauckwell-Rafferty is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in California who uses client-centered and practical approaches to help people move through hard times. She has ten years of experience, and much of her recent work has focused on substance use and related recovery challenges. Kathrina speaks in plain terms and aims to make the first steps feel manageable for someone who is worried or stressed.

She helps people build better coping skills and work through past trauma. That can include repairing strained relationships, addressing patterns like codependency, or facing issues tied to addiction. Kathrina also supports people dealing with grief, anxiety, depression, anger, and problems with intimacy and self-esteem.

Her background includes work in specialty programs for domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors, and she has provided therapy connected to adoption, foster care, and blended family situations. That experience informs how she guides people who are confronting family of origin issues, guilt, shame, or multicultural stressors.

Kathrina uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Motivational Interviewing alongside a client-centered stance. In practice that means sessions often focus on clear goals, skill-building, and practical steps people can try between meetings. She also focuses on what the person wants to change and respects each person's pace.

Sessions are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Messaging is monitored regularly, and scheduling is handled through an online matching and booking process.

Online approaches that focus on skills and goals

Client-Centered Therapy means the therapist follows the person's lead, listens closely, and helps set goals that matter to them. This approach is useful when someone needs a respectful space to sort priorities and decide what to change.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches concrete skills for handling intense emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress. It is often used for people who struggle with strong mood swings, anger, or patterns that lead to conflict.

Motivational Interviewing focuses on what motivates a person to change. It uses reflective questions and gentle guidance to help people find reasons to try new behaviors, which is helpful for substance use and habit change.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist collaborates with each person to match methods to their needs, goals, and preferences. That means trying tools, reviewing what helps, and adjusting the plan together rather than sticking to one method.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for people with busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when schedules or travel make in-person visits hard. Phone sessions or live chat can fit into a lunch break or be used when lower bandwidth is needed. Text-based messaging supports brief check-ins, quick skill practice, and ongoing connection between sessions. These options give flexibility to use the format that best fits daily life.