Meet Rachael Rosner | Counseling | Coaching | Movement

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachael Rosner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachael, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
I have learned more lessons than I can count by pursuing a career as a mental health counselor, coach, and dance movement therapist. However, I would say the most important lesson can be boiled down to a quote by Richard Rudd: “People don’t need help. People need love.” As a counselor, I’ve learned that the most important thing I bring to my work is presence, deep listening, and creating both a safe and inspiring place for my clients to bring their whole, authentic selves. When the environment is set with love, flourishing is inevitable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I bring a uniqueness to my work as a mental health therapist and coach because of my background and training.

I’ve naturally done a lot of additional training simply because I love learning (and I’m kind of a self-proclaimed nerd). But when I tap into the deeper “why” underneath my pursuit of more education, it’s that I want to offer my clients what works. I want their suffering to end as soon as possible. I know what it’s like to be suffering, because I’ve been through my own healing journey from trauma and pervasive anxiety. And just talking about it wasn’t enough for me. I needed to talk for sure, but I also needed skills, tools, and effective therapeutic interventions. I’ve seen too many of my friends, family members and clients fraught with addiction, anxiety, mental illness, and post traumatic stress simply because they don’t know what’s available to them. I know that if I really want to help people put an end to their suffering and live a thriving life, I need to learn as much as I can and not hold anything back.

Many of the tools I use in sessions come from my studies in: Person-Centered Counseling, Internal Family Systems, Jungian Psychology, Trauma-Informed Care, Polyvagal Informed Dance Movement Therapy, Restorative Movement Psychotherapy, Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Creative Arts Therapy, and Yoga. I’ve set my sights on getting trained in Neurofeedback next.

I grew up as a musician, dancer and writer, and I love to bring creativity into my sessions. Every human being is inherently creative, and that creative spark is like the spark of life. I often support my clients to use meditation and visualization to engage their imagination, or we’ll move, dance, color, or write to support deeper self-exploration and healing. Through imagery and use of our imagination, we’re able to see new possibilities and connect with the core of ourselves more deeply.

My love for dance inspired me to pursue additional training in Dance Movement Therapy after I completed my Masters in Mental Health Counseling. I’ve been a dance teacher for 13 years, and I have taught hundreds of couples how to dance together in that time. I’m very excited about this next phase of my career as I bridge together my training as a counselor and coach with my experience as a couples dance instructor and dance therapist.
This past Spring, I put together my first couples workshop called “The Dance of Connection” along with my colleague Francisca Mix. Couples explored their relationship through the metaphor of dance while learning fun moves and connecting in a new way. Some of the themes we explored included: trust, choice, non-verbal communication, presence, and nervous system co-regulation. The couples gave us very positive feedback, so there are more opportunities coming! We will be repeating the workshop in Denver, CO this September, and I have plans to create a longer format weekly couples movement and connection class in Colorado Springs, CO this Fall. I also offer private couples dance lessons, pre-marital and marital coaching, relationship coaching, and marriage counseling.
I work with individuals too, mainly who present with a history of interpersonal trauma and come to me with the goal of improving their relationships. So much of the world’s suffering is rooted in our closest relationships, so supporting people with developing healthy relationships is a huge part of my mission. When one person or couple heals, it creates a ripple effect to their children, family, community, workplaces, and beyond. Bringing creativity into this process is also key because this is how we heal – in relationship, one breath, one word, one movement at a time. Healing happens at this microcosmic level, and it is a co-creative process in the present moment.

I’ve come to accept that one of my biggest challenges in my work is also one of my greatest strengths. I’m a very sensitive person, and I feel deeply. I can feel the collective suffering in our world, and sometimes it’s overwhelming. It’s also an incredible honor to be a compassionate witness and hold people’s stories with them. I believe my sensitivity guides my intuition and makes me a more effective therapist and coach.
With that said, one of the biggest lessons this career has taught me is how to listen to my body and take care of myself. Having consistent practices that help me feel grounded, regulated, and tapped into joy / gratitude are crucial. In graduate school, our professors would often talk about the importance of self-care for therapists, but I didn’t realize the level of self-care I would truly require in this field until I was a few years in. I was surprised to learn that it’s not just about taking vacations and breaks. In my experience, when a therapist is burnt out, there’s a need for deep emotional and energetic restoration. To keep my energy tank full, my self-care includes things like: having boundaries about how many sessions I take on in a week and at what times, journaling daily, moving my body daily, eating well, seeing my own therapist or coach regularly, energy balancing practices like Reiki, and restorative activities like laying outside in the trees, cozying up to my fireplace with my dog, or reading a fantasy novel. In the past, I would have seen these activities as selfish or like a rare luxury. But the reality is, practicing deeply nourishing self-care makes it possible for me to show up for people. So, it’s not a luxury…it’s a necessity, just like sleeping and breathing air. It’s not just a box to check so we can keep pumping on and being more productive, and it’s also not about checking out or escaping from work. Self-care is about giving ourselves permission to be human in every moment, reclaiming autonomy of our time and timing, nourishing ourselves, and taking our deep spiritual calling and work to heart. I’ve always said, “I want to live a life that I don’t want to escape from,” and that’s really my hope for you too… that your life is truly yours.

I’m grateful to this career path because it has taught me to slow way down, savor the beauty of life, and learn what’s involved in being fully human in ways I would have never expected. And there is still so much to learn! I’m really just getting started.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Colorado Springs is such a beautiful place with a wide range of experiences to be had! I think I’d want to highlight the nature, delicious food, and downtown culture. I would take them for a hike in Palmer Park, a drive through Garden of the Gods, a delicious meal at Shugas, and out for live music at Lulus Downtown!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband, my parents, and my brothers, who have always supported my dreams and aspirations without hesitation. My supervisors and professors who have shaped me as a professional. My clients, for trusting me and being my greatest teachers about humanity. My personal therapists and coaches who have supported me in becoming my authentic self. My friends and community who bring me so much joy and who have offered the most heartfelt, unwavering support in the darkest times of my life. And of course, all of my dance teachers who showed me the true power of movement and helped me find my voice.

Website: www.rachaelbrosner.com & www.lovespringsstudios.com

Instagram: @rachaelbrosner & @lovespringsstudios

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-rosner

Image Credits
John Rosner