It's time to find joy in life again.
MEET RACHEL GATES. SUPPORTIVE, ENCOURAGING, INTEGRATIVE EMDR THERAPY IN LOS ANGELES AND THROUGHOUT CA & FL
Right now you feel...
Exhausted. Invisible. Overwhelmed. Stuck.
The harder you try to make things work, the more worn out, unhappy, disillusioned and frustrated you feel. You are constantly spinning your wheels - burning energy but going nowhere. Together we will stop this cycle, help you better understand yourself and what it is important to you and develop tools that will help you create lasting, transformative change.
Your time is valuable, so I offer confidential, convenient, online therapy sessions. All you need is a private space and a strong internet connection! My clients appreciate my patience, warmth, collaboration and guidance. Clients often tell me that this is one of the few spaces where they can truly be themselves!
As your therapist, I will be your constant advocate and supporter.
My job is to help you first identify your needs and goals which we will use as a roadmap for our work together. We will routinely check-in to ensure that the pace, focus and strategies developed in our time together match your unique personality and lifestyle. To achieve this, I take an integrated approach to therapy - meaning I will pull techniques, strategies and knowledge from different therapeutic orientations to best suit your particular concerns, wants and goals. This means that our work together is highly flexible and adaptable and our time together could involve processing recent events, celebrating wins, creating space for losses, diving into the past to gain insights into your current patterns and tendencies, or learning and practicing a specific skill or technique for you to use immediately in your daily life.
My work is compassion-focused, culturally sensitive, interpersonal, and strengths-based. I primarily work from a trauma-informed perspective, meaning that we shift the narrative from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" This is helpful whether you've experienced trauma or not. We will look at the bigger picture and events of your life that influence who you are now and use this information to help us create more flexibility, foster a sense of balance and enrich your relationships.
I have over 15 years of experience treating the effects of a wide range of different types of traumas ranging from single incident to complex, early developmental trauma. I have worked with children, adults and families in settings such as Residential Treatment Centers, School Systems, Advocacy Centers, Community Mental Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Currently, in addition to private practice, I offer human-centered consultation and employee wellness support to FQHCs throughout California. To better understand the employee experience, I sought a certification in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with emphasis on leadership and organizational systems and change to help further my knowledge regarding the impacts and treatment of burnout and overwork.
Prior to becoming a Psychologist, I was a licensed massage therapist for over 8 years. This has heavily influenced my understanding and comfort with exploring the mind-body connection. I love learning about neuroscience to help understand the brain and nervous system and its impact on our behavior and cognition. This became particularly relevant when I was in my own burnout recovery. During this incredibly difficult time in my life, I discovered that I was a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and since then I have been on a mission to help other HSPs embrace their unique strengths. Over the years, I have familiarized myself with the research and knowledge available to better understand the Highly Sensitive Person experience and help HSPs lean into their assets and thrive.
I believe therapy should be a place where you can show up just as you are and know that you will be welcomed, supported and deeply cared for.
Please contact me today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation and get started on your healing journey!
Education & Licensure
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Licensed Clinical Psychologist
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PSY27227 (California)
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TPPY 1509 (Florida Telehealth Registration)
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Doctor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University - Atlanta, Georgia (APA-Accredited) 2012
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Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Georgia School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University - Atlanta, Georgia (APA-Accredited) 2009
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Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies Degree, Oglethorpe University 2007
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Industrial and Organizational Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Certification 2020
Training & Modalities
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) - Certified 2022
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Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) - Certified 2010
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Functional Family Therapy (FFT) - Certified 2012
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) Informed
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Motivational Interviewing (MI)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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Mindfulness Based Therapy
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Polyvagal Theory Informed
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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Attachment Theory
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Positive Psychology
My Guiding Principles
Safety
I will prioritize your ability to feel physically and psychologically safe during your time with me.
Trustworthiness & Transparency
Discussions regarding your care are made with transparency and a goal of creating and maintaining trust.
Collaboration
I support shared decision-making regarding all aspects of your care and well-being.
Empowerment
I believe in your resilience and capacity to heal. Your innate strengths will be recognized, validated and built upon.
Humility & Responsiveness
I will recognize and examine the impacts of generational trauma, biases and stereotypes in your life. I actively work to acknowledge and address my own biases and stereotypes.
Authenticity
I will encourage you to be true to your own personality, spirit and character and create alignment between your actions and values.
