Rachel Nester MS,LPCC,NCC,RPT, IMH-E®

I am so happy that you are here! I have been serving children and families for over a decade and I find myself more passionate about finding innovative ways to help families reach their therapeutic goals every single year.

Long Version: Over the span of my career, I have provided individual, couples, family, and group therapy. I have worked with young infants up to geriatric seniors. I have experience working in Preschool Day Treatment, Outpatient Settings, Group Parenting Courses, Case Management, and School-Linked Therapy for grades K-12 in settings including Public Schools, Alternative Learning Centers and Level III and IV Schools. I have presented to educators, daycare staff, parents, public health workers, guardian ad litem, and staff at Child Protection Services. I have experience in assisting with interventions for 504 plans and IEP's. I am a verified provider of birth-to-five (better known as DC:0-5) diagnostic assessments. I am a Registered Play Therapist and am credentialed as an Infant Mental Health Specialist (IMH-E® III), completed a Certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health from the University of Minnesota and recently completed the Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate (PACC) program also through the University of Minnesota. I am also nationally certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) as well as being identified on Foster Adopt MN (previously known as MnAdopt) as an adoption competent therapist. My professional interests include attachment, trauma (including generational trauma) and epigenetics. 

Cliff Notes Version: I have taken many higher education courses and evidence-based intervention workshops and pursued additional professional credentials to ensure that I am confident in my ability to help.

I offer compassion, creativity, humor, approachability, and authenticity. I consider myself to be open-minded, accepting, and curious. I treat caregivers as I would want to be treated and children with the highest level of respect.

• Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
• Master of Science in Agency Counseling
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Minors in Health Education, Health Science, Human Development, and Gerontology                                            

• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
• National Certified Counselor
• Registered Play Therapist
• IMH-E® (Infant Mental Health Specialist III)
• Certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist

• Association for Play Therapy
• Association for Play Therapy-MN Division
• American Psychological Association
• Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health: Infant and Early Childhood Division
• Minnesota Counseling Association
• Minnesota Women in Psychology
• National Board of Certified Counselors
• Phi Kappa Phi
• Zero to Three

• Play Therapy- Non-directive/Child-led, Somatic Experiential, Directive, Sand Tray, and Theraplay 
• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Gestalt Therapy 
• Person-Centered (Rogerian)
• Ecotherapy