Rafia Zaidi, LCSW

Rafia Zaidi is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and challenges tied to family and parenting. She works with clients facing career strain, self-esteem struggles, anger, and the stress of big life changes. Rafia speaks English, Hindi, and Urdu and practices in California.

Her approach is straightforward and collaborative. She listens for each person's priorities and uses practical techniques to reduce symptoms and improve daily coping. Sessions often focus on clearer thinking, small behavior changes, and building self-compassion.

Rafia draws on client-centered methods to make space for what matters most to the individual. She also uses cognitive behavioral strategies to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new responses. Mindfulness practices are included to help calm the body and attention when anxiety or pain flare up.

Much of her work addresses family patterns, attachment concerns, and healing from family of origin wounds. She supports people through pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, and chronic illness or pain by helping them find doable routines and realistic goals.

Clients can expect a warm, nonjudgmental tone and clear, step-by-step suggestions. Rafia emphasizes short-term, goal-focused work when that fits, while also holding space for deeper processing when needed.

How these approaches translate to online sessions

Rafia often uses client-centered and cognitive behavioral approaches in her work. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening closely and responding to what the person says so they feel heard and understood. It helps when someone needs space to sort their feelings and priorities. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and offers simple experiments to try different responses; this can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.

Choosing the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with the client to pick methods that match goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. That choice can change over time as needs evolve and progress is made.

Confirm the session formats offered before booking to learn how Rafia currently meets with clients. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow a quicker check-in during a work break. It can also make practicing CBT exercises or mindfulness skills in daily life more convenient. Talk with the therapist about what will work best for scheduling, session length, and the types of exercises to try between appointments.