- CBT techniques
- Mindfulness practice
- Skills and coping
About Rachel
Rachel McGowan is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Massachusetts with 11 years of clinical experience. She works with people who face stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship and family concerns, trauma, and social anxiety and phobia. Sessions focus on practical skills, clearer communication, and managing difficult emotions.
She has worked in schools and in residential settings, meeting people with histories of physical, sexual, and emotional trauma. That background informs how she approaches safety, pacing, and building skill sets over time. Rachel commonly helps people identify triggers, try new coping strategies, and practice them between sessions.
Her work with young people has included helping them build social skills, increase self-esteem, and use mindfulness in everyday life. She brings an interactive style that invites clients to practice skills during sessions. She also uses a variety of methods to match a person’s needs, including cognitive and behavior-focused techniques.
Rachel views the relationship between client and therapist as central. She collaborates with people to set goals and test ways to reach them. A therapy dog, Bauer, sometimes joins sessions to support comfort and easing initial nerves.
Clients often leave sessions with clear, usable strategies to try during the week. Rachel’s approach emphasizes short, focused practice, steady progress, and concrete ways to handle social situations and panic symptoms.
How her approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building trust so people can set their own goals and test small changes. It helps when someone needs time to feel understood and to try new behaviors at their own pace. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, actions, and feelings connect and teaches concrete techniques for social anxiety, panic, and mood symptoms. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers practical skills for managing intense emotions, distress, and interpersonal challenges.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Rachel will review which methods fit a person’s goals and preferences and adjust the plan together. The process is collaborative and goal-focused, with regular check-ins about what is helping and what to try next.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people practice skills in real-life settings between meetings. Therapists often use screen or phone sessions to match what’s most practical for a client, and Rachel will discuss what works best during the initial intake.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
Massachusetts
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, eating issues, anger, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, and social anxiety and phobia.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is interactive and client-centered, with an emphasis on practicing skills and applying them between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 11 years of experience as a clinician and school social worker, including four years in a residential setting.
What are her credentials and location?
She holds an MA and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) practicing in Massachusetts.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.