About Christine Raco

HI I am Christine! 

I'm so glad you're here.

Finding a therapist can feel overwhelming. You're trying to decide whether someone you've never met is the right person to trust with some of the hardest parts of your life. I don't take that lightly.

My goal is to create a space where you feel accepted, understood, and comfortable showing up exactly as you are. Therapy doesn't have to feel intimidating or sound like a textbook. I believe it works best when it feels real.

I didn't become a therapist because I wanted to change people so they could fit into a cookie-cutter version of what life is supposed to look like. I became a therapist to help people stop living the lives they thought they were supposed to live and start building lives that felt authentic and true to who they are.

I've always been fascinated by people, their stories, their resilience, and the incredible ways we adapt to survive life's challenges.

Before opening my private practice, I worked in mandated outpatient treatment, community mental health, and intensive outpatient treatment with individuals navigating some of life's most difficult moments. I've worked with adolescents and adults involved in the justice system, youth and families connected with child welfare services, and adults experiencing significant mental health challenges.

Those experiences taught me something I carry into every session today: every person has a story, and you are not defined by a diagnosis, a difficult season, or the worst thing that's ever happened to you. They also taught me that strength doesn't look the same for everyone, and that your past isn't meant to be judged. It's meant to be understood.

If you've spent time exploring my website (and if you haven't and this is your first stop, welcome!), you've probably noticed that I don't believe therapy has one "correct" way of sounding. My goal is to use your voice and experiences to make therapy understandable and meaningful to you.

You'll likely hear me explain the "why" behind what we're doing. You'll definitely hear me use metaphors with the occasional absurd metaphor, and we probably will even laugh together along the way. I believe humor, curiosity, and honesty all have a place in therapy.

I'll challenge you when it helps you grow, but I'll never shame you for having a human experience, or making a mistake. My goal isn't to tell you who you should be, it's to help you better understand yourself so you can decide who you want to become.

Therapy is a collaborative process, and I genuinely welcome feedback. If something doesn't make sense, doesn't sit right, or you think we're heading in the wrong direction, I welcome you to tell me. I will not be offended, there will be no judgment, only adjustment on my part to make therapy work for you. Some of the best therapy happens when we can have those conversations together.

Outside of therapy, I love traveling, exploring new places, taking walks in the sunshine (I know... a very therapist answer, but I do practice what I recommend because it genuinely works for me), reading, and watching football (I won't judge you based on your team. However, it may help me understand why Monday feels a little harder). Just like I encourage my clients to build meaningful lives outside of therapy, I try to do the same in my own life.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from San José State University and my Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling from Adelphi University in New York.

I'm a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC 13466) in California.