Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) Therapists in Hauppauge, NY

Feeling trapped by anxiety and depression? Struggling to see your worth and have low self-esteem? Wanting to find relief from past experiences or move through grief? I strive to create a calm, warm, and judgment-free atmosphere that welcomes self-exploration and healing. I apply my training in CBT, DBT, and ACT through a trauma-informed lens to create a unique therapeutic approach for each of my clients. I have experience providing psychotherapy to individuals and enjoy working with families.

Rachel’s clinical experience furthermore includes treating areas like mood and personality disorders, self-harm and suicidal ideation/behaviors, relational conflicts, career counseling as well as processing traumatic experiences. Working from a person-centered foundation, Rachel helps clients hold on to their sense of hope through life’s challenges and teaches therapeutic techniques to assist in stabilizing one’s mental health. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are examples of treatment modalities Rachel utilizes for such needs.

I want to commend you for taking the first step of looking for counseling services. Reaching out for help is not an easy task, it takes a lot of self-awareness and courage. Coming to therapy can be nerve-racking, so it is my goal to create a space for you to feel safe, where you can be brave to be your authentic self. Life is tough, you are tougher, and together we can practice ways to overcome a variety of life's difficult challenges. Our sessions together will be tailored specifically to you, your needs, and your goals. While people can experience similar life challenges, therapy is not a one-size-fits all solution.

Have you ever experienced a nagging feeling of constant worry or intrusive thoughts that you just can't get out of your head? Perhaps you experience a constant stream of "what ifs" for all of the possibilities that may happen or repeatedly check things to try to limit the anxiety you feel or prevent something bad from happening. Or maybe you are the parent of a child who experiences these symptoms, and feel powerless and unsure how to help. These feelings can be totally overwhelming, defeating and exhausting, and can get in the way of you living your life. You don't have to keep struggling with anxiety or OCD alone.

I provide psychotherapy for individuals, couples and adolescents. Clients describe me as being compassionate and non judgmental which helps to create a safe space to explore even the most difficult topics. I use several different modalities including mindfulness, positive psychology, and transpersonal theory. I believe in a mind body and spirit connection. Therapy is about supporting you in getting beneath the layers of habit, addiction, stress and obsessive thinking and help you recognize the essential self within rather than relying only on the mind, which is often the source of negativity.

The first step to getting help is thinking about it- so be proud of yourself because you are already a step closer to your goals! My goal throughout the therapeutic process is provide support to my clients as they discover their capabilities. I aim to create a safe and welcoming environment to explore your thoughts and challenge yourself along your healing journey.

Seeking out therapy can be a difficult thing to do. I provide a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment to help improve your life and heal from your struggles. My approach is warm, empathetic, and individualized as every individual’s situation and needs are entirely different. I specialize in treating pre-teens, adolescents, and adults. I understand the power the safe space of therapy holds and believe that having a person to walk along the journey with you can be transformative. Together, we will uncover the best and most effective tools to implement in order to find relief and drastically improve your quality of life.

I understand that life can be challenging and overwhelming at times. But please know that you do not have to face these struggles alone. I believe in your ability to grow, change, and heal from any adversity you may be facing. Throughout my experience, I have seen countless positive outcomes in my clients, and I am here to help you tackle any issue that is causing you distress. Whether it is anxiety, low self-esteem, dysfunctional relationships, chronic illness, or chronic pain, I am here to support you with compassion and empathy.

Often times individuals explore counseling services due to challenges in relationships, whether that be romantic, familial, or social. Seeking therapy is a great step in prioritizing your mental health and self- care.

It is many times difficult to ask for help when we need it, for a variety of reasons. Therapy is an exploration of potential paths forward, and a collaboration on healthier choices.

Do you want to make changes in your life to start living a happier, healthier and more positive life? If the answer to that question is yes, I am happy to tell you I am here to help! Throughout my own mental health journey, I was able to reach out to a counselor and learn ways to cope and deal with the emotions and anxiety I was struggling with. This helped me live a happier and more positive life. I love to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Positive Psychology techniques mixed with evidenced-based interventions from various other treatment modalities. I hope to meet you and help you take a step towards your mental health goals!

My passion is working with mom's (and dad's) who want to provide a happy and healthy upbringing for their children! I help mom's and dad's work through all of the difficult emotions that come with parenting including anxiety, guilt, shame, sadness, frustration and more. I help parent's who are looking to turn inward and do the hard work on themselves, to create the greatest relationship with their child, and childhood for their child, possible. I am currently completing EMDR training and utilizing EMDR interventions in my practice for patients who've experienced physical or emotional trauma, neglect or abuse.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us....And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson. Fear of failure, fear of the past and fear of the unknown can hold us back from becoming our best selves. Change is hard and loss is even harder. Our thoughts and feelings can sometimes be so overwhelming that it seems hard to move forward in life.

It's time for change! If you're feeling like you're stuck or that you're at the end of your rope due to the ever changing world around you, please know that change is possible. I work with my clients to identify thought processes that are keeping us stuck as well as life circumstances we feel are unchangeable. Through a supportive and strengths based approach we can work together to help you both accept the unchangeable, thus giving you ultimate control, while changing what is possible. I will work with you to learn to manage your feelings so that you can develop into who you truly feel you want to be.

Whether you are struggling with past or recent trauma, anger, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, or relationship concerns, it is important that you know you do not have to be alone in this journey. You deserve someone who will listen intently, understand fully, and provide an open, supportive, and non-judgmental space to rebuild through. At Clear Direction Psychological Services, you will learn with the support, expertise, knowledge and guidance of your psychologist, Dr. Smyth, how to better relate to and understand your experiences, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, relationships, and challenges. You will restore vitality in your life.

Sometimes you may feel stuck, have trouble understanding your emotions, or need some help sorting out your thoughts, but the good news is you do not have to do it alone. Mental health affects every part of your life, and I am here to provide a safe, empathetic, and judgement-free space to explore and express what you are experiencing. It is important to talk about your feelings and experiences, and by examining them together, we can address any concerns regarding anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or negative thoughts, to name a few. We can then work on building coping skills to help you deal with life’s stressors.

We take the greatest pride in ensuring that no individual is left without access to care by always responding to new patient inquiries immediately and accommodating the financial needs of our clients.  The well-being of our clients and the individuals of the communities we serve are our top priority.  No person should have to be without a supportive professional when they find themselves in a situation where reaching out for help is of the utmost importance.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with emotions, lost and alone, or disconnected from yourself and those around you? Together we can work to understand what is getting in the way of your goals and explore patterns that are no longer serving you. With compassion and empowerment, I will walk alongside you as you build upon your strengths, cultivate resilience and find more satisfaction in relationships. I have been honored over the years to accompany adults and teens on their therapeutic journey as they work through eating disorder recovery, body image concerns, anxiety, challenging life transitions, suicidal thoughts, and various traumas.

Over 30 years experience of counseling individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, low self esteem, marital and/or relationship issues, family conflicts, coping skills, mental illness, attachment disorder, post traumatic syndrome, abuse and other challenges of daily life. My approach is to work collaboratively with my clients, creating positive change in a non judgmental environment. This approach will allow me to teach you new effective ways of dealing with life's challenges while counseling clients in a clean, comfortable, caring, and supportive atmosphere