Rachel Kaufman
See if this provider is a fit
- Licensed in Illinois
- Accepts Cash
- Helps with Anxiety, Eating Disorders, + 9 more
About
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and co-founder of Sunrise Therapy PLLC. Over the past three years, I’ve worked in nonprofit, outpatient, and intensive care settings, supporting people through high-pressure transitions.
We pay attention to the different internal “parts” that can feel in conflict like the part that pushes, the part that protects, and the part that feels overwhelmed and work toward creating more internal safety and steadiness.
My focus is helping people slow things down enough to understand what they’re carrying and move at a pace that feels safe for their nervous system, so change can actually hold.
First session
We’ll slow things down and get a feel for what it’s like to work together. The conversation will be collaborative and flexible, not a formal interview. We’ll start to notice what feels most stuck—like stress patterns or perfectionism—and talk about what you want your life to feel like moving forward. We’ll also begin paying attention to how your body responds as you share your story, not just the thoughts around it.
Strengths
I specialize in working with high-achieving emerging adults who are highly self-aware but still feel stuck. Many can clearly explain why they feel the way they do, but have not been able to translate that insight into real change. In our work, I help bridge the gap between understanding something intellectually and actually experiencing change in the body and nervous system. We pay attention to the different internal “parts” that can feel in conflict like the part that pushes, the part that protects, and the part that feels overwhelmed and work toward creating more internal safety and steadiness. Over time, this shifts things in a felt way, not just a cognitive one. There is less internal pressure to perform and more access to a grounded, authentic way of moving through life.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are high-achievers ages 17 to 25 who are navigating the transition into greater independence. I am especially well suited for those who tend to intellectualize their experience and appear capable on the outside, but are privately dealing with a strong inner critic and a lot of internal pressure. Whether you are in college, starting a career, or moving through a challenging relationship, my work is for people who are tired of performing and ready to build a more grounded sense of self-trust and stability from the inside out.
Treatment methods
Relational
My work is centered on the belief that healing happens within a safe relationship. By slowing down and staying present in the moment, I help clients explore deep-seated patterns and understand what is happening beneath the surface. While my approach is primarily relational, I weave in concrete skills from ACT, CBT, and DBT when you need immediate tools for distress tolerance, mindfulness, or reframing harmful thought patterns. I’ve spent three years in outpatient and intensive clinical settings utilizing these evidence-based frameworks to support clients through crisis, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and trauma processing.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I help you identify the different "parts" of your personality—like the one that feels the need to be perfect or the one that is constantly worried. Instead of trying to "fix" these parts, we get curious about the protective roles they play. This allows us to move toward a place of internal harmony where you can lead from your "Self" rather than from your triggers. I am currently in the process of pursuing specialized training in IFS to further deepen my expertise in this modality.
Experiential Therapy
As both a therapist and a baker/cooking instructor, I often use hands-on, sensory activities to help clients who are stuck in "analysis paralysis." It’s a tangible way to practice mindfulness and reconnect with your senses. I have unique expertise in using culinary activities as a therapeutic bridge, particularly for those navigating body image issues or perfectionism.
Location
Virtual sessions
Top specialties
Doesn't specialize in
- ADHD
- Anger Management
- Biofeedback
- Bipolar Disorder
- Brainspotting
- Child Parent Psychotherapy
- Christian Counseling
- Crisis Intervention
- Dissociative Disorders
- Domestic Violence
- Family Therapy
- Fertility & Reproduction Issues
- Forensic Psychology
- Foster Care/Adoption
- Gambling Addiction
- High Clinical Acuity
- Hypnotherapy
- Imago Relationship Theory
- Insomnia/Sleep Issues
- Learning Disabilities
- Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
- Neurofeedback
- Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT)
- Perinatal Mental Health
- Phobias
- Sandplay
- Sex Addiction
- Sex Therapy
- Sex Therapy