CMU degree fosters holistic approach to therapy
Rachel Robertson graduated from CMU in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Social Sciences. She recently opened her own independent counselling practice, Rachel Robertson Therapy.
Rachel Robertson has always been interested in understanding why people do what they do, and CMU's free counselling services furthered her passion for mental health care. "I would like to say my time at CMU was the best time of my life, but honestly it wasn't always; some years were really hard. But it was at CMU where I first accessed mental health supports, and that was life-changing for me," she says.
Robertson graduated from CMU in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Social Sciences. She then earned a Master of Arts in Counselling from Providence University College in 2022.
She grew up, like many others, in a context where mental health was not discussed, and mental illness went largely unrecognized. CMU provided her the opportunity to try therapy at a time when she could not afford it. "Through my own benefit from counselling and the benefit I saw in other people's lives, I got excited and wanted to be part of that."
Her approach to therapy is one of non-judgemental, radical acceptance. She draws on techniques from attachment theory, internal family systems, narrative therapy, and more, to give care that is trauma-informed and integrates mind and body. "I try to work in a way that sees the person for all of their parts," she says.
The psychology and counselling courses Robertson took at CMU laid a solid foundation for her future career. Even more formational was the arc of her whole social sciences degree. "It prepared me because it was such an interdisciplinary program. The themes of how we care for ourselves, others, and the earth ran throughout my entire program. That is still what I'm passionate about and bring into my practice."
Robertson cares deeply about supporting people facing unexpected hardship. "We live in a world where there's this idea that if we know enough, research enough, and act in all the right ways, bad things won't happen to us," she says. "But the reality is, they will. Life is uncertain and fragile and uncontrollable."
So, when things get ugly, we wonder, why is this happening to me?! "Traumatic things can make us feel really isolated and alone," she says. In truth, everyone suffers. To experience pain is to be human, but through shared understanding and relationship we can endure.
This theory was put to the test in a personal way when Robertson had her first baby in 2023. "I had a very healthy, no problems pregnancy, but my baby was born with lifethreatening health conditions and required immediate surgery." She had researched pregnancy extensively, followed all the rules, received positive ultrasounds at appointments—and yet, something terrible happened.
She pushed herself to connect with others who share similar experiences. "I am even more confident that we're healed in the context of relationships," she says. "I feel so privileged to be one of those relationships for my clients, helping them move towards connection instead of isolation, sitting with them as they survive the things they deem to be unsurvivable, the things that are supposed to happen only to other people."
Most of the community that supported Robertson through the difficult time with her baby were people she met at CMU. "I care about shared humanity, people not feeling alone or othered, people feeling like they are part of something—and that's something CMU tries to do," she says.
After graduating with her master's degree, she worked at a group practice until her maternity leave. In January she is opening her own independent practice, Rachel Robertson Therapy, offering individual and relational therapy. She's excited for how it will allow her to provide clients with even better care.
This story taken from the Fall 2024 issue of The Blazer magazine.
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