Rick George, LICSW

Rick George is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people who are struggling with addiction, depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, grief, and major life changes. He speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps people can try between sessions. Rick brings a calm, steady presence and a focus on what someone wants to change. He typically uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at how thoughts and actions connect. He blends that with motivational interviewing to build readiness for change and psychodynamic ideas to understand how past experiences shape current patterns. Solution-focused techniques help set short-term goals and track progress. Sessions are oriented toward clear, achievable work. Rick helps people notice patterns, test small behavior changes, and adjust what’s not working. He also supports people through process addictions, sexual addiction issues, hoarding, hospice and end-of-life concerns, and relationship forms such as polyamory and non-monogamous arrangements. With ten years of experience and a WA LICSW license, Rick brings clinical depth without jargon. He aims to make therapy understandable and useful to everyday life. He will help clients sort priorities, plan next steps, and practice new skills between visits. People who choose him can expect straightforward conversation, goal-setting, and collaborative problem solving. If someone wants a mix of cognitive work, motivational support, and exploration of life history, Rick offers that combination to help move things forward.

How these approaches work online

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and habits and then test small behavior changes to see what improves. It is often used for anxiety, depression, sleeping problems, and addiction-related behaviors. Motivational Interviewing focuses on building a person’s own reasons and readiness to change. It uses curiosity and reflective listening to move someone from uncertainty toward action, which is useful for substance and process addictions and other behavior change goals.

Choosing the right combination of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with clients to figure out what fits their goals, preferences, and life context. That might mean starting with motivational interviewing to build momentum, then adding CBT exercises and occasional discussion of personal history to understand patterns.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and doing structured exercises. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is low or a client prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and messaging work well for brief check-ins, ongoing coaching, or when someone wants to track progress between scheduled meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or travel schedules while keeping the focus on usable change.