Rachel
Painter-Acors
Rachel Painter-Acors
M.A., LPC
she/her
I've worked in various clinical settings over the past eight years, including community mental health, school-based therapy, and outpatient therapy. Throughout my time in these settings, I've worked with a wide range of individuals who have been deeply impacted by trauma due to family conflict, instability, and hardship. I have specialized experience working with trauma-related mental illness and attempt to create a brave space for clients to process their most vulnerable experiences.
I enjoy being creative and collaborative with my clients while acknowledging each individual's intrinsic value and worth. I strive to provide an inclusive environment for my clients, giving empathy, acceptance, and empowerment to help them overcome shame and the overwhelming ways their trauma impacts their lives. I also acknowledge the systemic influences that bring my clients to therapy and aim to understand and advocate for my clients.
How I work:
I focus on first building a trusting relationship and utilizing an integrative approach to select a treatment modality that best suits my client's treatment needs. My therapeutic style comes from a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and family systems framework. I come alongside my clients in session, operating from cognitive-behavioral philosophy with influences from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Attachment-Based Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I am formally trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and Trauma Sensitive Yoga and incorporate this somatic work into sessions with my clients.
Who I work with:
My typical client ranges from children as young as 5 to adults as old as 60, who have experienced chronic, complex trauma to acute single-episode trauma. I also work frequently with children and teens, connecting with them as they navigate learning to regulate their emotions during periods of stress. Furthermore, I have extensive experience working with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, family conflict, and self-harming behaviors.
More about me:
I lived and gained experience in Columbus, OH, before relocating to Washington, DC. I received my Bachelor's Degree from The Ohio State University and my Masters's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Ashland Seminary. I started my career providing intensive in-home therapy and transitioned to Nationwide Children's Hospital, where I was embedded in a Columbus City public high school. I'm incredibly passionate about taking my skillset outside the office and can often be found engaging in and developing community care practices.