Kristi Rakes, LCSW, LISW-CP
North Carolina · 13 years in practice
Kristi Rakes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Independent Social Worker with Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) who brings 13 years of experience to her practice.
License and registration
- LCSW, North Carolina
- C007259 · expires June 2027
- LCSW, Virginia
- 0904009137 · expires June 2026
- LISW-CP, South Carolina
- 16825 · expires December 2026
- NPI
- 1538446968 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 13
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Kristi
Kristi Rakes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Independent Social Worker with Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) who brings 13 years of experience to her practice. She focuses on helping people who are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or worn down by stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life transitions.
Her manner is warm and accepting, and she aims to make it easier to talk about hard things. Kristi uses straightforward talk therapy grounded in practical tools.
Background and approach
She draws on client-centered methods to follow each person's concerns and goals. She also uses cognitive behavioral ideas to notice unhelpful thoughts and try small experiments that can shift day-to-day mood and behavior. Her practice often addresses relationship difficulties, intimacy concerns, parenting strain, addiction struggles, and work or career stress.
She also supports people facing mood disorders, panic or obsessions, postpartum depression, caregiver stress, and the challenges of aging and end-of-life planning. LGBT concerns and body-image or self-esteem work are part of her focus as well. Kristi blends mindfulness and motivational interviewing to help people find their own motivation and steady their attention during stressful moments.
Narrative techniques are used when shifting the story people tell about themselves would help them move forward. These methods are meant to be practical and tailored to each person’s needs. Kristi practices in North Carolina and conducts sessions in English.
Her approach emphasizes listening first, then building simple, realistic steps to manage symptoms and improve daily life.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Kristi lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Approaches Kristi names
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How Kristi’s Approaches Shape Online Work
Kristi uses client-centered therapy to hear what matters most to each person and to guide sessions around their priorities. This approach helps when someone needs a space to be heard and to identify practical next steps that feel doable.She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. CBT offers clear exercises and small experiments that can reduce anxiety, lift mood, or break unhelpful patterns. Mindfulness therapy is used alongside these methods to build attention skills and reduce reactivity during stressful moments.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Kristi will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences. That might mean mixing client-centered listening, CBT techniques, and brief motivational conversations to support change.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, which makes it easier to fit therapy into busy lives. Video allows face-to-face conversation, phone works well when bandwidth is low, and chat or text can be used for shorter check-ins or when writing out thoughts feels easier. These options give flexibility for scheduling, follow-ups, and steady progress without traveling to an office.
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Questions people ask
What problems does Kristi commonly help with?
She works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life changes. Other focuses include addictions, intimacy issues, parenting strain, mood disorders, and caregiver or end-of-life concerns.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is warm, nonjudgmental, and practical. She listens closely, then offers tools from client-centered work, CBT ideas, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and narrative approaches.
How much experience does she have?
Kristi has 13 years of experience in mental health practice. That background includes a range of issues from mood disorders to end-of-life and caregiver support.
Where is she based and what are her credentials?
She practices in North Carolina and holds the credentials LCSW and LISW-CP. The profile lists licensure as NC LCSW and SC LISW-CP.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What formats are available for sessions?
Sessions are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Multiple formats are offered to fit different schedules and needs.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start working with Kristi?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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