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About Raquel

is a licensed clinical social worker,

Certified EMDR Therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, EMDR Institute Facilitator, and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner.

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Living in Harmony

As a trauma-focused therapist, Raquel established a counseling and consultant practice to help people work through their most challenging experiences and support the professional development of the next generation of future trauma-focused clinicians. It's known that experiencing trauma can block the brain's natural way to recover from distressing events. Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety that can leave one feeling overwhelmed and isolated and can impact the nervous system, resulting in a traumatic stress response. It's essential to utilize healing strategies that focus on the mind and body to heal from a traumatic experience. As such, Raquel trained in both EMDR and Somatic Experiencing® approaches. 

Raquel chose to specialize in EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing because it has been extensively researched and has demonstrated effectiveness in treating trauma or other distressing life experiences. EMDR therapy is designed to reactivate the natural healing process through alternating eye movements, sounds, or taps.

As a SEP, she integrates Somatic Experiencing® techniques into her practice.​ Somatic Experiencing® is a body-oriented approach to healing trauma and other stress disorders. The SE™ approach releases traumatic shock from the body, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma.

What's Next?

Raquel is pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) to further advance her clinical knowledge and stay up to date on research in working with trauma and the body.

 

As a believer in a holistic approach to mental health, she collaborates with a certified fitness trainer and nutritional coach to offer PIVOT, a physical health, nutrition, and mental wellness program. PIVOT integrates science, mind-body activity, and compassion to develop healthy lifestyle practices and improve overall wellness.

 

Raquel regularly attends professional training and workshops to increase her knowledge of alternative healing practices to support her work in trauma healing. 

5 fun facts

01

I love to sing! I mostly sing when I'm alone in my car, music blasting, off-key, and even if I don't know the lyrics.

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02

I love musicals & enjoy traveling to different cities (US and internationally) to catch an awesome show.

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03

I enjoy the outdoors, particularly nature hikes with family and friends.  Being in nature reminds me to slow down, take a breathe and enjoy my blessings.  

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04

I'm not a runner, but I like to run the SF Marathon (5k or 10K). Or maybe it's an excuse to go to SF to enjoy the scenery and great food.

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05

I enjoy weight training at least three times per week. I love that as I get older, my body adapts positively to new physical experiences

(I got muscles!!)

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