The Theory of Rachel

Our life experiences create a story that nobody else gets to tell. The theory of Rachel believes all clients have their own story to tell. This theory is an attachment-based theory focusing on strengths and previous life events to identify goals that work towards a better future. With the client and counselor partnering together, the client is able to identify what their needs are and reduce the internal conflicts within the client. The theory of Rachel advocates for their client and teaches the client to advocate for themselves. It views clients as a whole, which allows it to be used with a variety of clientele.

Nature of Humans

Our connections to this world begin the instant a child is born. The impressionable infant is seeking out relationships and requiring their needs to be met. As innocent beings, babies are learning if the world is trustworthy, safe, and reliable, which is why young childhood is the most important time in a person’s life.

Origins of Client Distress

The world is a hard place to live in even when a person has all of the right people supporting them. A person can have the strongest attachment and have everything go right in childhood, yet still experience distress. The theory of Rachel believes that people must experience discomfort to gain more knowledge and learn more about themselves. The world they live in is full of highs and lows creating learning opportunities for that person. When a person’s life does not match up to their values, it can be a cause of distress. It is uncomfortable to live a life that is not meeting the values a person has. It is up to the client to decide that the life they live is not meeting their own values, which can be different than the values the world sets on individuals. People do not enjoy living in this discomfort, forcing them to change something in their life.

Role of Client

The client is expected to bring their whole self to counseling. No matter how they feel, they will be welcomed with open arms and know that at least one person in the world will be rooting for them, even if they feel like they cannot cheer on themselves. The client knows exactly what it is like to be them, so the counselor will refer to them as the expert on their own life. A client willing to put in work outside of the counseling session will succeed in finding the better version of themselves that they came searching for. Since the client knows their life better than the counselor, the counselor will follow the lead of the client and meet the needs of that client.

Diversity

The theory of Rachel believes that every single person has a story to tell, and no two stories are the same. A counselor in this theory will see their client through a new set of eyes and be with the client where they are. This means that those people who are different than the counselor should still feel welcomed, included, and encouraged by their counselor. This theory can be applied to people of all types. With its focus on relationship building and the client’s past, I believe that the counselor can adapt the way they do counseling with their client. In order to make it the most successful, the counselor could start a conversation about how the client feels like they fit into this office and where they feel the therapeutic relationship is at. I believe that working with people who are different will allow counselors to broaden their knowledge and face their biases. This gives for many opportunities to grow and learn.

Going to counseling can be a difficult step to take, and it may seem unnecessary depending on when someone’s trauma occurred. According to the theory of Rachel, those traumas are impacting the way a client lives today. Young childhood is a significant time in a person’s life. People build foundational relationships and experiences during this time of growth and development, but when this goes wrong, it can impact the way a client trusts, interacts, and views life. The theory of Rachel relies on an equal client counselor relationship with the client being the expert on their own life and the counselor walking alongside of them. Using strengths-based, attachment focused theories, the theory of Rachel supports a client and turns their lens of self to a positive one. The theory of Rachel can support a wide variety of people, because it believes that every individual deserves to tell their own story and feel heard