“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou
Rachael Lax, Ph.D.
I am a New York State Licensed Psychologist in private practice in Rochester, NY. I provide individual, couples, and group psychotherapy. I strive to listen without judgment and aim to provide a warm, welcoming, and safe space for you to learn more effective ways to relate to yourself and others, and to build a life that promotes authenticity, confidence, and wellbeing.
I work with adults navigating life's challenges--working through early-life wounds, improving relationships with partners, parents and peers, or making career choices and changes. I also treat individuals who are struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, low self-esteem, shame and guilt, loneliness, family conflict, divorce and custody issues, relationship concerns, grief and loss, and emotional, physical and sexual trauma.
It is a privilege to work with my patients, and I greatly value fostering a positive and secure therapeutic relationship, which I believe is the foundation for growth and change. I primarily practice from a relational and psychodynamic orientation, however, I also regularly incorporate techniques from Mindfulness-Based Approaches, Modern Psychoanalysis, Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rochester and my B.A. with highest honors in Psychology at Wesleyan University. I completed my doctoral internship at the University of Rochester Counseling Center and my post-doctoral work at Binghamton University Counseling Center. Additionally, I have extensive training in group psychotherapy and serve on the Board for the Rochester Area Group Psychotherapy Association (RAGPS).