Rachel Rainey Lucas LPC-S, PMH-C

"The sign of a great counselor is not to find one that gives you all the answers you thought you were searching for. Instead, a great counselor helps guide you to discover all the questions you didn’t even know you had. Rachel is this type of counselor. She is someone who truly cares for her patients and is committed to walking alongside us as we navigate the complex challenges of life." 

- Client

 

Welcome to my website! While counseling is all about you and figuring out what you want your life to look like and how to get there, I understand that you may want to know about me. 

I experienced traumatic events as an early adolescent, and my life was changed because of it. What followed were struggles that were extremely challenging but also ones that helped me figure out that I wanted to spend my life helping and connecting with others who have or are experiencing difficult circumstances. I understand that there are times in our lives where we need to focus on ourselves and our pain in order to come through the other side with clarity and understanding. 

I began my career as a Mental Health Associate at San Marcos Treatment Center, working with adolescents and teens from all over the country that had experienced significant trauma.

After moving to Austin from San Marcos when I graduated from Texas State, I began working at The Settlement Home for Children as an Advanced Lead Clinical Houseparent with teen girls who had also experienced significant trauma. I lived with these girls for 93 hours of the week, and was able to form connections and relationships with them that taught me so much about myself and how to be an impactful and effective caregiver. 

I completed my practicum for graduate school at the Williamson County Juvenile Justice Center, where I held group and individual sessions for the teens that were detained. 

I then moved on to become Clinical Director at A World For Children in Round Rock. It was here that I learned about the intricacies, difficulties, and successes of the foster care/adoption system, and did my best to support the families and children in their care. I wrote and taught trainings for the families and drew upon my own experiences working and living with traumatized children and teens. 

Finally, I began my counseling practice in 2016. It has been an absolute joy for me to work with teens, adults, families, and couples on their journeys to finding themselves and creating or recreating what they want their lives to look like. I consider myself very lucky to be able to say that I truly love my job. It is an honor for me to sit with people as they tell me their stories, struggles, accomplishments, moments of clarity, and watch them take steps towards the changes they want to see in their lives. 

I use a variety of treatment modalities and approaches with my clients. I believe that each person has individual needs and we will discuss your goals and how we can work together to meet them.