Dr. Rachel Christopher
Specialties at a glance: Anxiety Therapy, Depression Therapy, Trauma Therapy, Self-esteem, Perfectionism, Stress Management and more. I also provide therapy for teens and therapy for young adults. Serving clients online in 43 US states.
Click here to book a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation with Dr. Rachel.
Hi, I'm Dr. Rachel Christopher, a licensed clinical psychologist in Florida and Pennsylvania. When we go through tough times, we can find ourselves looking for answers in all the wrong places. You may even be searching social media for “How to be Positive 24/7.” A lot of people feel like they are not good enough, which often leads to perfectionistic tendencies that prompt feelings of overwhelm and burnout.
Between the pressures of work, family, friends, social media, and all the stressors that come with our day-to-day grind, you may have the feeling that something has got to give. You crave freedom, independence, and stability in your relationships. And you wish you could communicate better with your family, relax around your peers, and feel closer to your partner.
On top of all that, perhaps you’ve recently been through a really tough experience that made you feel as though the rug was pulled out from under you. You’re grappling with feeling like the world isn‘t the safe place you used to think it was. You might be having nightmares, re-experiencing the event in your mind, or even be struggling with self-destructive or self-harm behaviors that are making everything worse.
Many of us want to be laid-back, warm, outgoing people who can boldly step into the next phase of life feeling like their most genuine and confident self. Because we all want to thrive, this can set us up for an internal battle for control of our emotions. After a while of trying to be positive all the time and white-knuckling your way through challenges, inevitably you end up lashing out at the people you love, and searching for external validation.
It’s likely that you’re reading this because you’ve decided that you’d like to talk to a competent, empathic therapist that will give you warm-hearted support, help you learn the skills to cope with painful thoughts and emotions, and build a fulfilling life. Throughout my clinical experience, I’ve helped people reduce their self-harm urges, conquer their anxiety, and restore relationships with their family, friends, and partners.
So how does therapy with me work?
We start small. Schedule a 15-minute phone consultation or a first appointment with me to collaboratively identify what you may need. Next, come into the office (or see me virtually) so I can learn more about who you want to be and to start building trust. Then we’ll start working on turning your innermost wishes into actionable steps. After you’ve met your goals, we’ll make a game plan to sustain your progress. That could mean coming back to see me periodically, in a year, or never!
It’s natural to be a little nervous to get started, and the sooner you do, the more time you’ll spend showing up as your most genuine self. Here’s more good news: even if you’re reading this at 3am because you’re up doom-scrolling, you can schedule a callback for another time. By choosing to schedule, you’ve already begun to change your life.
Schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation or call 954-488-2933 to get started. If you live in one of the 43 US states where I'm licensed, we can work together via telehealth!
Background
I specialize in working with adults, young adults and teens who struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, and self-harm. Maintaining trust and a strong relationship is always my top priority.
My theoretical orientation (aka therapy style) is largely rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), with advanced training in Trauma-Focused CBT. I am passionate about providing treatments backed by research, and I also pull skills from other evidenced-based orientations when it best serves my client. For example, if I were treating a recent college graduate with anxiety about making a decision on whether to enter the workforce or attend graduate school, I may apply CBT skills to address negative assumptions they are making about the future, recommend progressive muscle relaxation as a stress management tool, and conduct an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based exercise to help the client make a decision that aligns with their values.
My previous experience includes clinical practicums at the Neuropsychology Assessment Center at Nova Southeastern University (a psychological evaluation training site), Alpert Jewish Family Service of West Palm Beach (individual therapy, support group, psychoeducational evaluations), a 2,000 hour postdoctoral residency at The Psychology Group Fort Lauderdale, and a 2,000 hour pre-doctoral internship at Citrus Health Network in Miami (individual therapy and evaluations). Across these rotations, I worked in out-patient, in-patient, and primary care settings. Additionally, I have experience conducting psycho-educational evaluations for learning disorders, ADHD, diagnostic clarification, and gifted classes.
I graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa with my Bachelor’s degree (Go Bulls!). I earned my Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern’s APA-accredited program.
Professional Affiliations
Dr. Rachel Christopher is a member of the American Psychological Association. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Florida (PY 12403) as well as Pennsylvania (PS020562).
Call (954) 488-2933 To Schedule A FREE 15-Minute Consultation With Me
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(954) 488-2933
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