Practitioner record · Checked 9 Oct 2026
Rachel Bastien-Chilson has been in practice 11 years and is licensed in New York. Rachel lists stress, Anxiety, grief and self esteem among 56 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from Rachel's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who Rachel works with
Rachel lists 5 specialisms and 51 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Rachel chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In Rachel's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
In our work together, we’ll take time to understand the challenges you’re facing-whether it’s anxiety that keeps you on edge, depression that feels heavy and persistent, or the lingering impact of trauma. Rather than rushing to “fix” things, we’ll move at a pace that feels safe, focusing on gently shifting patterns and beliefs that may have once helped you cope but no longer serve the life you’re trying to build. You can expect a supportive space where compassion and honesty go hand in hand, and where you’re encouraged to show up exactly as you are. I bring curiosity, insight, and a touch of humor into our sessions, helping create a human, relatable environment that makes room for vulnerability, self-discovery, and meaningful, lasting change.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience in mental healthcare and crisis work, helping people work through some of their toughest times. My approach is collaborative and strengths-based, grounded in the belief that you already carry the inner resources needed for healing. Together, we’ll explore what’s happening in your present-your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and patterns-while also gently weaving in parts of your past when it feels helpful and relevant. I aim to honor the fullness of your story: its depth, its complexity, and the resilience that runs through it. Therapy with me is active and engaging; sometimes reflective and inward-looking, other times practical and goal-oriented. The process is dynamic, evolving as your needs, insights, and confidence grow.
Throughout our work, my intention is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can feel grounded and connected. I value authenticity and will show up as a real person in the room with you-steady, warm, and committed to your growth. Together, we’ll build a relationship that supports you in making meaningful shifts, cultivating self-understanding, and creating a life that feels more aligned with who you truly are.
Rachel Bastien-Chilson, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026
03 · What happens next
Rachel practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Rachel's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Rachel at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Rachel is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Rachel.
You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.
A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.
Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.
04 · Before you commit
Built from what Rachel actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Rachel's - Rachel has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.
“How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”
Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.
“How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”
On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.
05 · Practical details
06 · Provenance
Rachel's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.
The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.
Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Rachel. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.
Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.
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