- Focused on coping skills
- Substance use experience
- Collaborative goal setting
About Kathrina
Kathrina Cauckwell-Rafferty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in California. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, substance use concerns, relationship strain, and the fallout from trauma. Kathrina aims to make the first step feel manageable for people who are worried or overwhelmed.
She spent much of her recent career working with people affected by substance use disorders. That work emphasized practical coping skills, repairing relationships, and finding steady sources of support. She has also worked in programs serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and in specialty services for youth and their families.
Kathrina prioritizes a non-judgmental, calm atmosphere. She works collaboratively with each person to set clear, personal goals and a plan that fits their life. Sessions focus on simple tools that people can try between meetings, and on tracking what helps.
Her clinical approaches include client-centered therapy, dialectical behavior therapy - DBT, and motivational interviewing. These methods shape how she listens, sets goals, and practices skills with clients.
She offers a mix of messaging, live chat, phone sessions, and video sessions, with message checks twice daily seven days a week. Before scheduling, readers should confirm the current session options directly during the sign-up process.
Kathrina brings ten years of clinical experience and a practical, supportive style to work around issues such as grief, parenting stress, intimacy concerns, adoption and foster care related questions, and workplace strain.
How therapeutic approaches guide online care
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the person. The therapist follows the client's lead, reflects concerns, and helps set practical goals that feel useful in daily life.Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, teaches clear skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving relationships. It can help when stress, anger, or intense feelings make it hard to cope or connect with others.
Motivational interviewing helps people clarify their own reasons for change and build motivation at their own pace. It pairs well with work on substance use, commitment struggles, or shifting long-standing patterns.
Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, try approaches that fit those goals, and adjust based on what helps. Clients are invited to give feedback so sessions remain focused and practical.
If you plan to pursue online therapy, confirm the available session formats before booking. The profile indicates messaging, live chat, phone sessions, and video sessions are used, but readers should verify current options during sign-up. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example a brief phone check-in during a work break, a video session when travel is difficult, or messaging for short questions between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Credentials
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with people facing anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, relationship and parenting stress. Additional focus areas include grief, compassion fatigue, and adoption and foster care related issues.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is practical and client-centered, emphasizing listening and working with each person's priorities. She blends skills practice with motivational interviewing to support behavior change.
What experience does she bring to therapy?
She has ten years of clinical experience, including work in substance use programs and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in California.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are session formats handled and what should I expect?
She lists messaging, live chat, phone sessions, and video sessions as formats she offers. Confirm the current session options during the sign-up process before booking.
How do sessions cost and how does billing work?
Cost varies with location and the therapist's schedule; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Check the full pricing details during sign-up.