Hi, I’m Rachel

The first thing I want you to know about me is that I am relationship-forward in my work. This means I believe the connection, respect, and trust established between myself and my clients are essential to our success. I am not the stereotypical therapist portrayed in movies or television, who stares blankly in response to your words and asks, “How does that make you feel?” with a pen and paper in hand. Instead, I am engaged and interactive. I ask questions because I want to know more about you and what you are going through. My genuine curiosity helps you feel heard as I nod enthusiastically along with your story, rather than keeping my eye on the clock.

My clients describe me as warm, caring, insightful, and thoughtful. My realistic and personable approach offers down-to-earth strategies and coping skills that feel accessible. I would be wasting my breath telling an overworked, stressed-out parent that they need to find a way to schedule an hour-long meditation for self-care into their already busy schedule. Instead, I might focus on something more achievable, such as how you can enjoy your coffee before it gets ice cold.

I am passionate about my work and feel it is a privilege to guide individuals and couples as they challenge themselves and become open to opportunities for growth and change. If this sounds like something you could benefit from, reach out for a free consultation today.

My Style

COLLABORATIVE

EMPATHETIC

WARM

INDIVIDUALIZED

My greatest joy is helping clients become more self-aware as they develop the tools to overcome their challenges.

Qualifications

I have been in the mental health profession for more than fifteen years. My experience has guided me to where I am today and continues to provide useful insight and knowledge. I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Evansville in Southern Indiana and my Master's Degree in Social Work from Hunter College in New York City. I went on to work with a range of populations in different roles, including therapeutic foster care, supporting low-income families with children with special needs, and forensic social work, including custody evaluations and high-conflict divorce/separation. Each of these roles required vastly different skills that helped me further my clinical knowledge and shape the therapist I am today.

I received training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT), which emphasizes the importance of secure attachment and connection when working with couples experiencing conflict and communication issues. I also trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), initially created to treat individuals with personality disorders. However, DBT is extremely useful in helping clients understand and use the ambivalence of change to their advantage. This approach includes many effective techniques and strategies to manage intense emotions and cope with challenging situations.


Most recently, I completed Advanced Psychotherapy for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety with the organization Postpartum International. After experiencing depression and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum with my daughter, I realized how difficult it was to be diagnosed and treated for these conditions. This fueled my desire to specialize in working with expecting and new parents struggling with their mental health, as a way to address this underserved community.

Certification: Master of Social Work at Hunter College, Silberman School of Social Work, Advanced Psychotherapy for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety

License type: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Gender: Female

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Languages: English

Specialized focus: pregnancy, postpartum and parenting, anxiety, depression

My Values

I have a strong set of values that I bring to each session with my clients. 


  1. Feel heard without judgment. I provide a space to be yourself without consequence.

  2. Our connection matters. I am relationship-forward with all of my clients and bring a human approach to my therapy practice. 

  3. Create change with grace. I’m comfortable navigating difficult spaces with clients and will encourage you to show empathy for both yourself and others.

  4. Laughter is important. I like bringing humor to my practice. I’m not afraid to joke around with my clients and I don’t take myself too seriously. 


My Approach

I begin each session by asking my clients how they are or how their week was. This serves a couple of purposes. First, it allows you to share what is most pressing on your mind and gives me a sense of how you are showing up to our meeting that day. Second, this question encourages you to take ownership of our agenda, which I have found creates greater autonomy and empowerment in problem-solving. After all, you are the expert in your own life.

I ask clients to be authentic by showing up with their mess, their pain, their shame, and their fear. This takes a great deal of vulnerability, which I am tremendously respectful of. We work together to move through emotions rather than over them in order to heal yourself and your relationships. Starting therapy is an investment in who you want to become by putting in the work consistently. I cannot promise that this will be an easy process, but I do believe it will be worth it.

Start building the life you want to live

By choosing to engage in therapy, I understand that you are choosing what might initially be a more difficult path that forces you to confront hard or unpleasant truths. I also know that you are invested in doing this hard work in order to create more compassion, awareness, and understanding for yourself.