Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Depression
How Stuart works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- California
- Years in practice
- 28
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Stuart
Stuart Riskin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps people manage strong emotions and life challenges. He works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, anger, addiction, relationship difficulty, grief, and other major life changes. Stuart writes plainly, listens closely, and treats each person as the expert on their own life.
He came to social work after a first career in the entertainment industry. That nontraditional path gave him wide experience in both public and personal settings.
Background and approach
Those years inform how he talks with people and shapes practical strategies he offers in sessions. Stuart uses a respectful, strength-based approach. He focuses on what is working and builds from there.
He believes change starts when a person chooses to try something different and the therapist and client work together on doable steps. In sessions he mixes client-centered conversations with structured tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. He also draws on emotionally focused methods and relationship work when that fits a person's needs.
The goal is clear: better coping, clearer choices, and more steady days. Stuart has 28 years of experience as a clinician in California. He offers several remote formats to fit busy schedules and accepts international clients who prefer online work.
To begin, a person completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules a time to meet.
What Stuart works with
Everything Stuart lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Stuart's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Stuart lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that translate well to online therapy
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and following the client's lead to understand what matters most. This approach helps people feel respected and heard while they sort through emotions and make decisions.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, uses short, practical exercises to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. It is useful for anxiety, anger, mood shifts, and building concrete coping skills people can practice between sessions.
Emotionally focused work helps people see and shift patterns in close relationships by naming emotions and needs. It can be useful when intimacy, trust, or recurring conflict are central concerns.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to match methods to their goals, needs, and preferences. Changes are made step by step, and the plan can be adjusted as progress or new issues arise.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is good for a full-session conversation, phone calls can fit a quick check-in, and messaging supports brief updates or reminders between meetings. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and can make it easier to keep momentum over time.
Questions people ask about Stuart
What kinds of problems does he address?
He works with adults facing stress, anxiety, anger, addiction, depression, grief, relationship problems, parenting strain, and life changes. There are also focused interests like ADHD, compassion fatigue, and trauma-related concerns.
How would you describe his therapy style?
He uses a respectful, strength-based style that combines listening with practical steps. Sessions balance open conversation with tools from cognitive behavioral and mindfulness approaches.
What is his professional background?
He spent an earlier career in the entertainment industry before becoming a social worker, and he now has 28 years of clinical experience. That mix informs a practical, real-world approach to therapy.
Where is he licensed and practicing?
He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in California. He offers services from that base while working with people across regions through online formats.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English. He also accepts international clients who use the online options.
What session formats are available?
He provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Pricing details are provided through the service during sign-up.
What is the first step to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. After that, schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.