Rachel Murray
Starting therapy takes courage, and I'm glad you're here. I specialize in supporting active-duty service members, veterans, and military families navigating PTSD, combat stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. I create a steady, judgment-free space where you can be fully yourself, and I'd love to help you take the next step.
First session
Our first session is about getting to know each other. We'll talk through what brought you to therapy, your history, and what you're hoping will change. It's normal to feel nervous, we'll go at your pace. By the end, you'll have a clear sense of how we'll work together going forward.
Strengths
I lead with warmth, directness, and active listening. You can expect a space where nothing is off-limits and nothing is rushed. I'll check in often about what's working and adjust as we go. When we're addressing something difficult, I'll stay calm, patient, and honest with you.
Ideal clients
I have predominantly worked with active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses and families facing trauma, combat stress, anxiety, depression, substance use, and military life transitions. If you're navigating grief, relationship stress, or feel worn down by everything you've carried, we'll work toward steadier ground together. I have also worked in various medical settings with clients experiencing domestic violence, generational trauma/child abuse, codependency, perinatal/postpartum issues, chronic and terminal illness, and palliative care/end-of-life issues.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, short-term talk therapy that teaches you how your thoughts, feelings, and actions influence one another. By working with a therapist to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and practice new coping skills, you can learn to manage stress, change your behavior, and feel better. Core Principles • The Connection: What you think shapes how you feel, which drives how you act. • Automatic Thoughts: Quick, unhelpful mental habits (like expecting the worst or black-and-white thinking) often pop up without you realizing it. • Active Learning: CBT treats you and your therapist as a team to solve current problems rather than just dwelling on the distant past
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a short-term, structured talk therapy—usually lasting 12 sessions—designed to help people recover from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It teaches patients how to identify, evaluate, and change unhelpful "stuck points" or self-blaming thoughts about a traumatic event. You learn how trauma affects your thoughts, physical feelings, and daily behavior. Core Principles • Trauma Processing: You may write or discuss a detailed account of your worst trauma to break the cycle of avoidance. • Challenging "Stuck Points": Using worksheets and Socratic questioning, you test whether your thoughts about the trauma are completely true or distorted by guilt, shame, or fear. • Core Themes: The therapy targets five key areas of belief impacted by trauma: safety, trust, power and control, esteem, and intimacy.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented form of psychotherapy. It helps individuals build psychological flexibility by learning to accept difficult thoughts and emotions rather than fighting them, while committing to actions aligned with their core personal values.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, person-centered communication style that helps patients resolve mixed feelings about making health changes including addiction. Instead of telling patients what to do, providers listen with empathy to help patients find their own inner drive to get healthier.
Compassion-Focused
Compassion-focused therapy helps people who struggle with high levels of shame, self-criticism, and self-doubt. It blends cognitive-behavioral tools with ideas from evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and Buddhist practices.
Location
Virtual sessions
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Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 138292
- FloridaLicense SW13178