I’m Rachel.

It’s nice to meet you!

I am a St. Louis-based Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with specialized training in Play Therapy.

I am also a multifaceted human being just like you and your kid. I’m a shy extrovert and a rock climber who is afraid of heights. I was an anxious kid who learned in therapy to manage my worries. Today, the skills I learned in therapy help me navigate social settings and to handle the scary thoughts that pop into my brain when I’m up high on a rock wall.

As a therapist, I am collaborative, warm, and doggedly optimistic. I love helping kids learn to manage their worries so they can go climb their (metaphorical or literal) rock wall.

If your child needs support in understanding their big feelings and healing from hurtful life experiences, I can help.

I thrive when I work with kids who show up exactly as they are, whether they’re excited to talk to a counselor or nervous about meeting someone new. I see potential for growth and healing in each client who comes into my office. With empathy, positivity, and some playfulness, I hold space and provide therapeutic support to help my clients reach their potential. I’m warm and fuzzy, but also not afraid to hold boundaries and challenge my clients when needed.

I love working with kids because learning about feelings, emotion regulation, and healthy coping skills early on sets them up for a bright future. When life throws them curveballs, they will have a solid foundation for handling whatever comes their way. It’s an honor to be part of that process

I have always loved working with kids. In fact, my first business endeavor was babysitting neighborhood kids at age 13. I loved to play, make crafts, and bake, but I also took my work very seriously. I helped those kids manage conflict and work through problems with their friends and siblings. That was my first inkling that I’d become a therapist.

Fast forward 15 years and voilà! After graduating in 2019 with my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, I started my career as a school-based therapist for K-12 students in the greater St. Louis area. I have advanced training in Play Therapy and EMDR. I have specialized experience working with toddlers, sensitive and anxious kids, children who have experienced trauma and LGBTQ+ youth.

I founded Bright Days Ahead to support kids as they work through difficult memories, manage nagging worries, and envision a bright future.

If this sounds like your child, get in touch. Anxiety doesn’t have to rule your family life forever.