Expert Counselors: Rachel Kirkes

Rachel is a Licensed Professional Counselor who aims to make the therapeutic space both safe and productive for the client. Rachel is passionate about making sure clients feel understood and valued while they process the difficulties of life, explore their emotions, build resilience, and develop the tools necessary to navigate life's challenges with confidence and strength. She is an integrative therapist who incorporates Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy theories. She tailors her therapeutic approach towards the needs and goals of each client, collaborating alongside the client to identify their strengths, overcome obstacles, and create meaningful change in their lives.

Rachel helps clients who are struggling with a variety of concerns, including but not limited to anxiety, depression, mood disorders, life transitions, substance use, and grief. Rachel received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from the University of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA and her Master’s of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL. Rachel’s experience in the field includes rehabilitation counseling at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, crisis counseling at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and addiction counseling at a substance use residential treatment center providing individual, group, and family therapy. Rachel has worked with a wide variety of client populations including people of different ages, genders, cultures, and diagnoses.

Through Rachel’s many different types of personal and professional experiences, she has learned that people have more internal strength and ability than they tend to give themselves credit for. She believes that building an empathetic and compassionate therapeutic relationship can help clients be able to access that internal strength and cope with the inevitable difficulties of life.