Meet Rachel

Hello and welcome to New Perspectives Psychology!

I’m Rachel (they/them), a Registered Provisional Psychologist and the face behind New Perspectives.

I am an Edmontonian, born and raised, and it is where I have chosen to start my practice.

I am a huge nerd and absolutely love taking on opportunities to learn. As a result, I hold a Master of Counselling degree from City University of Seattle in Canada, as well as a Bachelor’s degree from Concordia University of Edmonton.

I am also quite the introvert, so of course I decided to pursue a career all about talking to and connecting with people haha! Luckily for me, I am also a major bookworm, so I find solace and time to recharge in the pages of my many books (which is unlucky for my wallet, but oh well).

In my spare time, I enjoy curling up on the couch with a good book, show, or movie. In the summer, you can often find me out on my balcony basking in the sun or around town at various food festivals. In the winter, I honestly do my best not to leave my house since the cold and I do not get along! But I can be tempted out by my loved ones with the promise of hot chocolate.

My Approach & Passions

I take a very integrative approach in counselling. This means that I draw from various therapeutic modalities to tailor my approach to best support you and your goals.

Since every person is different, I believe that my approach should be different when working with each individual. Some people may benefit more from a directive, structured approach, while others may find it more helpful to take a free-flowing, less directed approach. Together, we will determine what you want and need, and what approach works best for you.

I am passionate about working with people from various communities and backgrounds, and am honoured to have had opportunities to do so. In my previous work, I have provided support services to individuals within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, individuals within BIPOC communities, individuals experiencing neurodiversity, individuals navigating addiction, harm reduction, and sobriety, and individuals experiencing mental health crisis. I hope to continue providing support to those who want or need it, regardless of their background or mine.

In all of my work, I strive to provide an inclusive, respectful, collaborative, and welcoming environment. This means that I am committed to learning and unlearning continuously throughout my work and in my personal life. I incorporate trauma-informed, anti-racist, culturally-informed, decolonized, and anti-oppressive lenses, and am always seeking opportunities to learn, unlearn, and improve my practices. I also recognize that you are the true expert on yourself, and I want to honour that in our work together.

“Therapy isn’t curing somebody of something; it is a means of helping a person explore [them]self, [their] life, [their] consciousness.”

- Rollo May

Therapeutic Modalities

  • CBT

    COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

    This is one of the main approaches I utilize. It focuses on understanding how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. I like CBT because it takes into account how our specific experiences and environments affect us and how we relate to our world. It can be more structured, but I also incorporate aspects of it in ways that are less structured.

  • EMDR

    EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING

    EMDR is an approach I am trained to provide. I received my training through EMDR Consulting in 2024. EMDR is a structured, manualized therapy that can help with reducing activation related to certain events and experiences. Through this desensitization process, more capacity is developed to move into the processing and re-processing stages.

  • MBT

    MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPY

    I use many aspects of mindfulness within sessions. From engaging in grounding strategies, to visualization activities, and more. I find mindful approaches to really help in reconnecting with the self and the world around us. Mindfulness can also be a way of stepping into a place of reflection.

  • SFT

    SOLUTION FOCUSED THERAPY

    I will sometimes use aspects of SFT in combination with other approaches. I find it to be really helpful when it comes to setting and working toward specific goals. It can also be nice to shift from a problem-focused mindset to a solution-focused one.

  • DBT

    DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY

    DBT is a really handy approach, especially for individuals who experience emotions very strongly. This approach is similar to CBT, but is more focused on learning and applying skills to better live in the moment, self-regulate, improve relationships with others, and develop more healthy coping mechanisms.

  • ACT

    ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITTMENT THERAPY

    ACT is a very action-oriented approach. It focuses on engaging in the present moment, accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment, and committing to taking action to make change and uphold personal values. ACT involves increasing engagement in meaningful life activities, and focusing less on needing to control, change, or eliminate challenging experiences.

Alongside these therapeutic modalities, I am also engaged in continuous learning and training. As I learn more and further develop my practices, I will add more modalities to my wheelhouse. Currently, I am highly interested in pursuing training related to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) modality, and Somatic Therapy approaches such as Somatic Experiencing (SE).

Counselling Specialties

I provide counselling services to help with a number of concerns, including:

  • mood concerns & disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.)

  • interpersonal relationships, boundaries & communication

  • emotional regulation & coping strategies

  • gender & sexuality

  • self-esteem & self-worth

  • identity & purpose

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Send me an email or fill out the contact form to ask. If your concern is something I feel I can help with, I’ll let you know, and if not then I can provide information on other professionals who may be a better fit.

I work with:

  • adults (18+)

  • individuals looking for support and space to talk, process, heal, and grow

  • individuals who are part of various communities, including those within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, those who are neurodiverse, and those who are BIPOC

  • students & professionals

  • individuals who speak English (unfortunately, I am not fluent in any other languages)

The only time I will not provide counselling to someone is if there is a conflict of interest, dual relationship, or if the primary concerns are outside my areas of competence. Should any of these arise, I will provide appropriate referrals in order to ensure you receive continued care.

Learn more about session offerings