Profile / United States
Stuart Riskin, LCSW
California
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Stress and Relationships
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- Emotionally-focused work
- Mindfulness practice
About Stuart
Stuart Riskin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with 28 years of experience. He helps people manage stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship concerns, depression, grief, and a range of other life challenges. Stuart frames therapy as practical work done together and expects clients to be active participants.
He came to social work after an earlier career in the entertainment industry. That background shaped his communication style and gives him a broad view of how work, creativity, and life demands interact. He draws on decades of experience from both public and private settings.
Sessions focus on observable thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. Stuart uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside client-centered and emotionally-focused methods to map patterns and try new responses. He encourages small, concrete experiments that test what works in daily life.
Stuart treats issues such as trauma and abuse, intimacy problems, parenting strain, ADHD, compassion fatigue, and substance concerns. He also addresses attachment issues, adoption and foster care questions, caregiver stress, and life transitions such as divorce or aging. The work often blends practical coping skills with discussions about relationship patterns.
People can expect direct feedback, clear goals, and an emphasis on skills that translate outside sessions. He presents clients as the experts on their lives and uses that perspective to guide interventions and homework. Stuart aims for straightforward, useful sessions that connect to real-world demands.
How his approaches are used in online sessions
Stuart commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to break down specific thoughts and behaviors into manageable pieces. CBT sessions tend to focus on identifying patterns, testing new responses, and practicing skills that reduce distress or improve functioning.He also brings client-centered work into online meetings, which emphasizes listening to the client’s goals and adjusting the pace accordingly. Emotionally-Focused Therapy is used when relationship patterns and attachment experiences are central, helping people notice and respond differently in close relationships.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Stuart will discuss goals and preferences with each person and decide together what methods to try. That collaborative planning helps select techniques and homework that fit everyday life.
The biography does not list session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. Therapists can adapt exercises and homework so sessions connect directly to daily routines and responsibilities.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
28+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does he commonly address?
He works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, depression, grief, trauma and many life transitions.
How does he use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
He uses CBT to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and to test new ways of responding through short experiments and skills practice.
What is his professional background?
Stuart has 28 years in the helping professions and moved into social work after a first career in the entertainment industry.
What credentials and region are listed?
He holds an LCSW credential and practices in California.
Which languages and international clients are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and he accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats; confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the 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 you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.