Rate Morgan Rakay

I am both a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and Counselor. I have over 8 years of experience working with children, families, and adults in both non-profit and private practice settings. In my work, I have helped to address a wide range of concerns, including depression and anxiety, trauma, medical concerns, grief and loss, substance abuse, ADHD, and other neuro-divergent individuals.

I specialize in working with individuals who experience chronic pain, chronic fatigue, significant medical diagnoses, and new mothers. To read more about this focus in my work, please see closing paragraphs below!

I hold a holistic view of each person in the therapeutic setting, and believe in supporting autonomy, wholeness, and a sense of wellness. I use a collaborative approach, and believe that each person’s definition of “wellness” is personal and unique – of which health is only one aspect. My work is trauma-informed, person-centered, and adaptive to each individual. The mind-body connection often surfaces in my work, through mindfulness approaches, awareness of the physical-emotional links, or through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches – as examples. I also utilize Motivational Interviewing (MI) when helpful. I am trained and/or certified in CBT, MI, Trauma-Focused CBT, Narrative Therapies, Creative/Expressive Therapy, and working with Voices.

The process of change can be difficult, and inevitably challenges each person’s strengths. I look forward to joining with you in this process, and empowering your own journey towards a greater sense of wholeness and wellness – in however you choose to define this for yourself!

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More about my work with medical conditions and Mothers/Birthing Parent:

-My primary focus in counseling is with individuals who are also medically involved or who have experienced medical/physical trauma. This includes, but is in no way limited to: chronic pain, fibromyalgia, traumatic brain injury, cancer, Parkinson’s, traumatic birth, and other debilitating and progressive illnesses. I support values-based medical care planning and decision making and family support. In this, I also work with grief and loss.

-After becoming a mother, it was increasingly important to me to also provide support and counseling to new mothers and caregivers, and supporting the parent-infant and parent-parent bond. The path to motherhood can be simultaneously joyous and isolating; enthralling and terrifying. So many changes in our bodies, lifestyle, routine, sleep, and hormones can be a challenge. Depression and anxiety can lead to guilt, and postpartum depression/anxiety deserves care and attention.