Not Accepting New Clients!
Rachel Saccarelli, LSW, MSW, CCTP, CSTS, EH.M, LE, LMT (she/her/hers) graduated at the top of her class at Widener University, earning a master’s degree in social work with a specialization in trauma. Before her education and experience as a social work therapist, Rachel had extensive experience in both pastoral counseling and community mental health. In pastoral counseling, Rachel worked with many types of issues, like trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, family and couples dynamics, and sexual functionality. In her experience in community mental health, Rachel worked exclusively with folks with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), which gave her a wide variety of professional experience with various presentations and diagnoses. Currently, she works primarily with various types of trauma, grief, shame, and sexual functionality, including working with folks who have committed acts of sexual violence. Rachel has also been a Licensed Massage Therapist for nearly a decade and brings her expertise of the body into her psychological work. Combining therapy with somatic work has served Rachel’s clients well and has been helpful in her EMDR practice.
Rachel is an EMDR-trained therapist and is actively pursuing certification in EMDR. In addition to EMDR practice, Rachel is actively seeking training in Emotion-Focused Therapy for both individuals and couples. Currently, Rachel is finishing her MEd in human sexuality education and then moving into her Ph.D. in sex therapy.
Rachel utilizes several theories to inform her work with clients, including experiential/gestalt, attachment, narrative, and psychodynamic approaches. Her commitment to trauma principles in practice is paramount when working with clients and in her personal life. Rachel’s favorite of the six trauma-informed principles is transparency and trustworthiness, as this principle opens the gates to myriad possibilities in therapeutic work together. Complimenting transparency and trustworthiness is Rachel’s use of solid boundaries with clients to aid in their recovery. Last but not least, social workers have several guiding principles for their profession. The dignity and worth of every person is her most essential guide for working with clients, which allows for deeper transparency and working together in sessions.
Rachel’s approach to therapy is unique in that the mind-body connection is crucial for working with each client. Her attention to non-traditional methods has served her clients well and informed her practice. Having a diverse background brings richness to her work and emboldens her love for her craft.
Rachel wants to help her clients heal in a unique, individually tailored, and lasting way. Her professional focus is on experiential work, somatic experiencing, EMDR, attachment work, and emotion-focused therapy. She has experience working with adults, adolescents, and children. However, she currently focuses on adults and couples.
“There is no change without the dream, as there is no dream without hope” ~ Paulo Freire
Rachel’s typical fee is $140 for individual therapy (50 min); she can work on a flexible sliding scale if needed.
