Rachel Bastien-Chilson

Rachel Bastien-Chilson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 11 years of experience in mental healthcare and crisis work. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, depression, and major life changes. Rachel also offers support around abandonment, adoption and foster care issues, attachment concerns, and caregiver stress.

She begins by listening to what is most pressing and then moves at a pace that feels manageable. Sessions focus on identifying patterns and beliefs that once helped but now get in the way. Conversations can be reflective and inward, and sometimes practical and goal-oriented as well.

Rachel describes her way of working as collaborative and strengths-based. That means she notices what already works for a person and builds from there. She blends attention to present thoughts and relationships with relevant parts of a person’s past when that is useful.

Clients can expect a direct, human approach that includes curiosity and occasional humor. Therapy is active: Rachel may offer exercises, questions, and tasks to try between sessions. The aim is gradual, meaningful change rather than quick fixes.

Her practice in New York has focused on tough transitions and complex life stressors, including chronic illness, body image concerns, blended family issues, and coping after disasters. People who feel stuck about what comes next often work with her to sort priorities, steady their thinking, and try practical steps toward clearer direction.

Evidence-based approaches and remote sessions

Rachel uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and on building coping skills. One common approach centers on identifying and shifting thinking patterns that keep anxiety and depression active, helping people test new ways of responding to stressful situations. Another approach emphasizes practical skills for managing strong emotions and day-to-day stressors, such as short exercises and behavioral tasks to try between meetings.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Rachel treats this as collaborative and will help clients choose methods that fit their goals, needs, and preferences. She adapts pacing and tactics over time as insight and confidence grow, combining reflective conversation with more active homework when that serves progress.

Please confirm available session formats before booking, as the biography does not list specific online or in-person options. In general, remote sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. These practical benefits often help people maintain continuity of care while balancing work, family, and other commitments.