Rachael McKinnon, LMSW

Rachael McKinnon is a Licensed Master social worker (LMSW) in Michigan with 14 years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, and major life changes. Her style is warm and practical, and she aims to make therapy understandable and useful from the first session.

Rachael offers straightforward support for relationship struggles, grief, trauma, sleep problems, anger, and self-esteem concerns. She also helps clients navigate caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, and aging and geriatric issues. Her approach favors clear skills work alongside personal reflection, so clients leave with tools they can use between sessions.

In sessions she draws on acceptance and commitment ideas, cognitive-behavioral techniques, dialectical skills, client-centered listening, and mindfulness practices. That mix lets her tailor work to the person in front of her - using practical exercises, thought-work, and grounding techniques when helpful. She describes her manner as nonjudgmental and collaborative.

Rachael emphasizes creating small, measurable steps toward change. That may mean building new routines, practicing emotion regulation skills, or shifting unhelpful thoughts. She also supports people coping with complicated grief, substance concerns, and the ongoing effects of trauma.

Clients who look for a therapist with a direct but compassionate style may find her approach a good fit. She invites people to begin with small goals and to focus on steady progress over time.

How therapeutic approaches inform online work

Rachael uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as core parts of her practice. ACT helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then commit to actions that reflect personal values. CBT focuses on identifying and testing unhelpful thoughts and building practical coping skills to reduce symptoms and improve daily routines.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped in the past. Together they decide which techniques to try and adjust the plan as needed so work stays relevant and doable.

The original biography does not specify which online formats are used. Confirm current session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people practice skills in the settings where everyday challenges happen, and sessions can be scheduled to match evening or weekend needs without changing a daily routine.