Stuart Riskin
Practical, collaborative therapy grounded in experience
LCSW California
- Experience
- 28 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT
- Approaches
- Gottman Method, Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Stuart
Stuart Riskin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 28 years in the helping professions. He takes an approachable, down-to-earth style and focuses on practical steps people can use right away.
Background and approach
Stuart treats common struggles like anxiety, depression, stress, addiction, and relationship concerns with a calm, respectful manner. He moved into social work after a first career in the entertainment industry, so he brings a wide range of life and work experience to sessions.
That background informs how he listens and responds, and helps him relate to people coming from different walks of life. He sees clients as the experts on their own lives and builds on individual strengths.
Stuart uses techniques drawn from client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, emotion-focused work, mindfulness practices, and the Gottman Method to support changes in thinking, feeling, and behavior. He focuses on clear, achievable steps people can try between meetings.
Sessions aim to reduce symptoms and improve day-to-day functioning. People often come for help with grief, trauma and abuse, parenting strains, intimacy-related issues, bipolar concerns, ADHD, or career stress.
He also addresses areas like codependency, communication problems, blended family issues, and substance use. His style is collaborative and goal-oriented, tailoring methods to each person's needs.
Based in California, Stuart offers care in English and works with international clients when appropriate. He emphasizes empathy, practical strategies, and steady support while people work toward lasting change.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Stuart commonly draws on the Gottman Method to help people understand patterns in close relationships and to develop better communication and conflict habits. The Gottman-informed work focuses on practical tools for managing arguments, rebuilding connection, and improving trust over time.He also uses client-centered therapy, which centers the conversation on the client's experience and priorities, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers concrete strategies to shift unhelpful patterns. These approaches help with anxiety, depression, relationship stress, and many day-to-day problems.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Stuart will talk with each person about symptoms, goals, and preferences, then suggest methods to try together. That shared planning helps tailor sessions and adjust techniques as work progresses.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video lets people practice communication skills in real time. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging suit brief updates, coaching-style exchanges, or times when writing feels easier. These options make starting and continuing work more flexible for busy lives.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
28+ years
Licensed in
California
Languages
English