I'm Rachel Smith
Hi there!
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist
I'm here to help you and your partner embrace your true self so you can experience greater fulfillment in life and intimate relationships.
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Whether you're here to just take a peek into possibilities or you have realized there is a significant piece missing in your relationship and are in need of a change, I applaud you for stopping by.
It often takes great courage to embark on a journey of transformation and healing.
Relationships can be wonderful, comforting, breathtaking and complicated, confusing and heart-wrenching all at the same time.
It is typically when someone finds themselves stuck in the middle of these two worlds that I receive a phone call.
As a specialist in intimacy, I help individuals and couples who feel disconnected, discontent, and dissatisfied within their relationships to rekindle and reignite excitement, devotion, and adoration.
Couples and individuals who work with me rediscover joy, freedom, comfort, and confidence within their relationships and create a more authentic connection with themselves and their partner, allowing themselves to see and be seen in a genuine way.
This, my friends, is true intimacy, and it is the source of thriving and fulfilling relationships, which then leads to a more prosperous and fulfilling life.
You may have some questions...
Is this what I need?
What exactly is Sex Therapy?
How do I know if this will be a good fit for me?
Does therapy even work?
These are all very common, and it is perfectly normal to have some questions. It may be helpful to think of therapy like dating - The first date can feel a little awkward, but once a conversation gets going, and we get to know each other, it starts opening up a realm of possibilities. If your goal for this dating endeavor is to learn how to cultivate relationships in your life, then you’ve come to the right place!
Story
Initially, it was the lack of education and the lack of conversation about these life-forming topics that drew me to this field. Coming from a traditional and fairly conservative island family, there were several things that were just not talked about openly or freely - sex being one of those major hush hush topics. In high school, when the hormones started to kick in, sex quickly became a hot topic of discussion as we all started to become more aware of our bodies and our attractions to others. It seemed as though sex was happening all around me, yet there was so much about sexuality that was so illusive and unclear. I had so many questions and no one I could really talk to.
I quickly grew to realize that this was the reality for many of us, and it continues to be the reality for many into adulthood as well. We are infiltrated with sexual messages constantly - in movies and music, in advertisements, magazines and our favorite TV shows, and let’s not forget the stories we hear in locker-rooms and hair salons. These messages often given us a picture of how we are “supposed to” look, act and perform in and out of the bedroom, including what we “should” think and believe about ourselves and our partners. But what happens when our reality does not measure up to what we’re taught to believe? More often than not, we experience guilt and shame, on top of feelings of anxiety and hopelessness for not feeling “good enough” in some way. I know, because I’ve been there… time and time again.
My
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You deserve to have a thriving relationship, filled with passion, excitement and fulfillment. My mission is to help shed light and foster love within yourself and your relationships, and I am dedicated to helping you find your voice to create your own love story - outside of what the storybooks and society have to say. This has been my journey. Allow me to be a bridge into yours.
Why work with me?
You deserve to feel safe within your intimacy, and I'm specially trained to do that.
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As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Sex Therapist, my main mission is to help you foster true intimacy within yourself by guiding you through the therapeutic healing journey.
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Because of the deeply personal and intimate nature of my work, I am dedicated to providing my clients with the highest quality of care - I offer flexible scheduling, evening sessions and virtual/online sessions.
To fully accommodate my clients needs, I only take on a limited number of clients.
Background
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While I was receiving my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Central Florida, I was presented with an opportunity to volunteer at a center for sexually abused children. This is when I first witnessed the immense need for silenced populations to have a voice and a safe outlet of expression to begin the healing process. I learned how speaking one’s truth can lead to strength, resilience and empowerment, and I fervently watched how families were able to piece their lives back together after a state of brokenness and despair.
I found my purpose. I knew I was meant to be an agent of positive change in this sometimes crazy world - to help reconcile, empower and enrich the lives of others. So, I pursued a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University, where I continued to learn about the many delicate nuances of relationships. It was my first internship, which served the LGBTQ community, where I continued to engage in necessary discussions about sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, and sexual trauma that others continued to shy away from and deemed taboo. Propelled to further expand my knowledge on these topics, I completed a state certification in Sex Therapy, where I learned even more about sexual health, sexual identity, sexual “dysfunctions,” and all that these entail. My consistent curiosity and exploration of sexuality and relationships gives me a uniquely different perspective and approach to intimacy, and it is this expertise that I share with you in my practice.
I started my work in 2013, and have had the honor of sharing my insights with countless women, men, and couples. I have developed heartfelt partnerships with The Mom Collaborative and iHelpMoms.com, and have contributed to multiple articles for WeddingWire.com and Bride.com, while also being personally featured in VoyageMIA Magazine for their “Inspiring Stories” series.
Together, we can uncover the infinite possibilities your relationship has in store.
