Rachel C. Smith, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Please note: I am currently operating with a full caseload and am unable to accept new clients at this time. I am, however, maintaining an active waiting list for those who are not in need of immediate intervention and are interested in working with me in the near future. Please contact me with questions or to be added to the list!
314.810.7407
Individual Counseling in St. Louis, Missouri
Complex Trauma and Abuse
Is it difficult for you to identify just one event that has caused harm? Is it possible there isn't just one, but instead complex and nuanced layers of trauma and pain? Whether you are deeply aware of your long and complex story of trauma or are just beginning to notice signs that your wounds run deep, I am here to walk you through a process of healing.
Eating Disorders
Do you find your relationship with food to be wrought with chaos and shame? Do you obsess over the scale, calories, and exercise? Whether you might have a diagnosable eating disorder or disordered eating patterns, I can help you find freedom.
Depression
Are you feeling more than just sad? Are you noticing an increase in apathy? Are you feeling hopeless? Worthless? Shrouded in guilt and shame? There's a way out of the darkness.
Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse
Has the name of God or Jesus been invoked and used against you? Has the Bible or other religious text been used to control or instill fear? Have people in positions of religious authority caused you harm? The wounds are real and I can help.
Body Image
It's nearly impossible to live in this culture and not wrestle with negative thoughts of your body from time to time. But if it's more than occasional and you wish you could actually learn to make peace with your body? I'm here.
Anxiety
Do you carry with you a persistent feeling of dread or worry? Do you often feel nervous and restless? Anxiety is extremely common, and yet, your experience of it is your own. I can help you find peace.
How exactly can I help you?
Based on my training and experience, here is what you can expect me to offer you in therapy:
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Narrative Therapy techniques: We will look at your story - the good, the bad, and the proverbial "ugly". We will explore the impact your story has had on you. And we will consider how you might reframe your understanding of your story and begin to write the narrative you want for your life.
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Attachment based approaches: We will look at how you relate to yourself and to others. We will examine your attachment styles and identify which ones work for you and which do not. We will help you strengthen your relationship with others and with yourself.
Internal Family Systems techniques: We all have "parts" of us that think and behave in different ways; and each and every part serves a purpose and a function. We will get to know the unique parts that make up you as an individual. We will help parts of you change unhealthy patterns of behavior and ultimately work to heal parts of you that are wounded and suffering.
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Somatic based approaches: We will pay attention to the ways in which emotion and experiences of trauma are stored in and expressed through your body. We will help you identify what you are feeling when you are feeling it and help you utilize resources to process and regulate your emotions as well as release traumatic energy that may be stuck within your body.
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