- Addictions recovery
- DBT skills
- Mindfulness practice
About Christa
Christa Jacaruso is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 24 years of experience. She practices in Connecticut and works with adults who are managing addictions, relationship strain, burnout, and major life changes. She talks with people who appear successful outwardly but feel stuck, anxious, or overwhelmed inside.
Christa focuses on practical steps as well as understanding. Sessions aim to increase insight and teach skills that can be used between appointments. She often helps people set boundaries, recover from emotionally harmful relationships, and build strategies for coping with stress or caregiving demands.
Her background includes long experience with substance use and behavioral addictions such as alcohol, gambling, and compulsive shopping. She also addresses issues like dissociation, communication problems, codependency, chronic illness, and blended family issues. That range gives her experience with conflicting loyalties, lifecycle transitions, and complicated relationship patterns.
Christa uses a mix of evidence-based techniques in her work. She integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, clinical hypnotherapy, art therapy elements, and mindfulness practices to help people regulate emotions and change recurring behaviors. The emphasis is on concrete tools and repeated practice rather than abstract talk.
She generally works with motivated adults willing to take an active role in sessions. New clients are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first appointment. The practice uses a subscription model for sessions that can be canceled at any time.
Therapeutic methods and working online
Christa commonly uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills and mindfulness practices. DBT skills teaching focuses on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness and can help people manage intense feelings and recurring relationship patterns. Mindfulness practice teaches present-moment awareness and simple breathing or attention exercises that support stress reduction and clearer decision making.She also incorporates clinical hypnotherapy and elements of art therapy when these fit a person's needs. Clinical hypnotherapy can be used to reinforce new habits or reduce intrusive thinking, while art-based activities offer another way to notice patterns and process strong feelings without relying only on words.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. She will discuss options and collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, preferences, and the difficulties they bring. This collaboration helps shape a practical plan for sessions and homework between meetings.
Specific online session formats were not listed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into a weekday break, reduce travel time, or allow a shorter check-in when days are busy. Licensed professionals can adapt DBT skills training, mindfulness practice, and brief hypnotherapy or art-based exercises to an online setting, and these methods can be practiced between sessions to support steady progress.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
24+ years
Listed in
Connecticut
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with adults on addictions, relationship problems, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and related issues such as codependency and communication difficulties.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
The approach is collaborative and direct, focusing on evidence-based techniques and practical skills to support lasting change.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 24 years of professional experience as a clinician to her work with adults.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a Connecticut Licensed Clinical Social Worker (CT LCSW) and practices in Connecticut.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions billed and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling your first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.