- Addictions treatment focus
- Relationship recovery work
- Skills for regulation
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 addiction, relationship strain, life changes, coaching needs, and compassion fatigue. Christa commonly sees people who present as high-functioning yet feel stuck under the surface.
Christa offers therapy that combines practical skills with discussion. She uses evidence-based techniques and aims to help clients build tools they can use outside sessions. Sessions are collaborative and direct, with an emphasis on skills for emotional regulation and coping.
Her background includes work with substance use and behavioral addictions, including alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and compulsive shopping. She also supports people dealing with relationship abuse, recovery from narcissistic dynamics, and the aftermath of manipulation or gaslighting.
Christa has experience addressing a wide range of concerns such as abandonment, caregiver stress, chronic illness, dissociation, communication problems, and codependency. She also works with issues tied to aging, autism, avoidant personality traits, blended family challenges, divorce, eating-related concerns, and persistent feelings of emptiness.
Her approach draws on methods like Dialectical Behavior Therapy, clinical hypnotherapy, art therapy, and mindfulness alongside other evidence-based interventions. She looks for practical changes - skill building, boundary-setting, and plans to manage symptoms - rather than only insight.
Christa generally works with motivated adults who are ready to participate actively in therapy. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the online therapy options button.
How evidence-based techniques translate to online work
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on teaching clear skills for dealing with intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It is useful for people who struggle with emotional ups and downs, impulsive behaviors, or recurring relationship conflicts.Mindfulness practices help people notice thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them. These exercises can reduce automatic responses tied to shame or guilt and support steadier mood and focus.
Clinical hypnotherapy and art-based methods offer other ways to access emotional material when talk alone feels limited. Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation and focused attention to explore thoughts and beliefs, while art-based work gives nonverbal ways to express difficult feelings related to shame or past harms.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to identify which techniques fit their goals, needs, and comfort level. That choice can change over time as therapy progresses.
The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm session options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. They also let people practice skills from the spaces where everyday stressors occur, which can help integrate new coping strategies into daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
24+ years
Listed in
Connecticut
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to guilt and shame?
She works with people facing addiction, relationship harm, and the lingering effects of emotional abuse where guilt and shame are common. Those topics appear among her listed focus areas.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and direct, with an emphasis on practical skills and evidence-based techniques such as DBT and mindfulness. Sessions aim to build skills you can use between meetings.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 24 years of professional experience as a clinician. That background includes work with substance use and behavioral addictions and complex relationship issues.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a CT LCSW, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Connecticut. Her practice is based in Connecticut.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm the current session options before booking.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing depends on the chosen subscription and location.
How do I start working with her?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.