About Me 

Rachel is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She is working towards her Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist licenses. She has worked with children of all ages for over a decade, including teaching preschool, daycares, and nannying. Guided by warmth and empathy, she creates a healing environment where tiny hearts feel comfortable to express themselves through play. In non-directive play therapy, she believes in the power of letting children take the lead, trusting that they intuitively know how to use play to work through their emotions and experiences. This approach allows her to be a gentle, attentive presence, offering support and understanding rather than instruction. She loves how non-directive play therapy honors the child’s natural power to heal and grow, fostering emotional well-being, self-expression, and resilience in a way that feels innate and empowering.

 

Before moving to Houston, Rachel majored in Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University, in New Haven, Connecticut with a desire to work with the socio-emotional side of children’s growth. Rachel has worked with refugees and immigrant families in Connecticut as the Director of Health at Elena's Light. While at this non-profit, Rachel put together donation drives, women's health classes, summer programs for refugee children, and more. She has also worked providing mental health counseling to adolescents in the school system in Connecticut, where she learned the importance of building trust and offering a safe space for older children to explore their emotions. She enjoys working with adolescents because of the opportunity to support their growing independence, helping them navigate complex feelings and challenges as they develop self-awareness and resilience. 

 

In her free time, Rachel enjoys exploring Houston, cycling, journaling, and trying new food with her husband. 

 

Education:

Southern Connecticut State University, Bachelor of Social Work, 2023

University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work, Masters of Social Work, August 2024 

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Licenses/Certifications:

Licensed Master Social Worker, LMSW, Supervised by Sarabeth Haddad, LCSW-S, RPT-S, PMH-C

 

Additional Training and Awards:

Global Leaders of Behavioral Health Education 2023-24 Cohort 

Phi Alpha Social Work Honors Society 2024

Association for Play Therapy. Reflecting Feelings in Your Play Therapy Practice: The Foundational Skill That Benefits Both Children and Their Parents, May 2023

The Children’s Assessment Center Houston Texas: From Darkness to Light, Child Sexual Abuse Training, March 20th, 2024

Alaska Association for Play Therapy Child-Centered Play Therapy Essentials: An Introductory Course, February 2nd, 2024

Theraplay Institute, Assessment, Intervention, and Documentation of Suicidal and Homicidal Ideation in Children and Teens, February 22, 2024

Departmental Honors in Social Work: Thesis Title: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Afghan Refugee Adolescents: A Community-Engaged Photovoice Collaboration, May 2024