Rachael McKinnon, LMSW

Rachael McKinnon is a licensed master's social worker (LMSW) practicing in Michigan with 14 years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, or major life changes. Her approach is warm and practical, aimed at helping clients build day-to-day skills they can use right away.

Rachael creates a nonjudgmental space where people can talk through difficult emotions. Sessions emphasize clear goals and manageable steps. She listens for how thoughts and behaviors get in the way and then helps clients try different strategies.

She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) along with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and mindfulness-informed methods to address mood, trauma, and relationship strain. These approaches are used to break unhelpful patterns, manage strong feelings, and improve problem solving. The work often includes small experiments between sessions to test new ways of coping.

Rachael also brings skills from client-centered and dialectical behavior approaches when situations call for more emotion regulation or focused interpersonal work. She supports people facing grief, addiction concerns, sleep problems, anger, and issues around self-esteem and identity. Her style balances practical tools with empathetic listening.

People who do best with her tend to want clear steps and regular feedback. Rachael helps clients set realistic goals, track progress, and adapt plans as life shifts. She aims to make therapy useful, understandable, and relevant to everyday life.

How these approaches work online and what to expect

Rachael commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in her online work. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and trying new behaviors to see what changes. It often helps with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and habits related to addiction. ACT emphasizes values and willingness to experience difficult feelings while taking actions that matter; it can be useful for coping with chronic stress, grief, or life transitions.

She also draws on client-centered principles to keep sessions collaborative and tailored to each person. Finding the right mix of methods is part of the process; the therapist and client will decide together which techniques fit the client’s goals, preferences, and daily life. That collaboration helps shape practical steps and homework that feel doable.

Online therapy with Rachael is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video is useful when visual cues and a more personal conversation matter. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone needs a shorter check-in. Live chat and messaging are handy for brief updates, coaching-style support, or when writing feels more comfortable. These options make scheduling more flexible and help therapy fit into busy lives.