Rachel Birkeland, M.A.

Clinical Focus: Play Therapy, Marriage and Family Therapy, Premarital Counseling: SYMBIS, Life Transitions and Relationship Concerns, Spiritual Searching and Purpose, Anxiety and Depression, Missionary Issues

Rachel has a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University. She is currently a Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Resident in Counseling, pursuing dual licensure as an LPC and LMFT. She is also currently working towards her Play Therapy Certification.

Rachel was born and raised in Macau, China. Her passion for helping others was sparked at a young age through being a missionary kid, with cross-cultural parents who provided lay counseling. She has a heart to help repair families and transform lives by serving children and their families in relational, practical, and creative ways. Rachel respects others in their religion and belief system while personally holding a Biblical worldview. She is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. She has experience with working with children in the US and abroad in settings such as schools, orphanages, group homes, and community agencies.

Rachel has completed clinical training in SYMBIS premarital counseling, Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 1), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) for children from hard places, ASIST suicide prevention, Neurorelational Child-Centered Play Therapy Certificate (NRCCPT), and CBASP intervention for chronic depression. In addition to working with minors, Rachel has served clients with other clinical issues such as infidelity repair, children of divorce, caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients, grief and loss, spiritual issues, depression, anxiety, relational transitions, as well as family of origin issues.

On the weekends, Rachel enjoys serving with Climbers for Christ and assisting in outdoor rock-climbing trips. She also enjoys doing art and spending time with friends and family. For relaxation, Rachel enjoys sipping loose-leaf Chinese tea with a journal in hand.