Rachel Astarte

About Rachel

My approach

My approach integrates holistic therapy, experiential practices, and practical tools to develop self-awareness, self-acceptance, and emotional resilience. Using your challenges as a guide, we'll explore patterns, strengthen your relationship with yourself, and apply personal insights to everyday life—so you can live with balance, purpose, and connection.

About me

Rachel Astarte is a holistic therapist, author, educator, and creator of the Foundation of Self Method. Rachel brings together psychotherapy, spirituality, embodied awareness, and practical self-inquiry to help people cultivate self-acceptance, deepen their self-understanding, and live with greater clarity, connection, and purpose.

More background

•• Methodology •• For over twenty years, I’ve developed the Foundation of Self method, a mindfulness-based approach for people seeking to bridge inner growth with the everyday challenges of relationships, purpose, boundaries, and belonging.

Our work draws on your deeper wisdom and capacity for self-understanding, creating space to explore life's uncertainties and develop greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, and emotional resilience. Three pillars guide our work:

• Nonjudgment — Learning to meet yourself with honesty and acceptance, without shame. • Awareness — Observing your thoughts, emotions, and patterns with curiosity, rather than becoming consumed by them. • Gentleness — Approaching personal growth with compassion, patience, and care.

Together, we'll explore how to bring these principles into your everyday life, supporting your efforts to cultivate greater authenticity, a deeper sense of purpose, and more meaningful connections with others.

• • •

•• Specialties •• • Identity development - Understanding, accepting, and strengthening one’s sense of self through the exploration of family, work, and personal values; addressing issues such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation in the context of self-experience

• Life purpose & meaning - Exploring one’s beliefs and values around life purpose, meaning, and spirituality; addressing the barriers to living a life that feels fulfilling, including instigating change or developing new habits

• Mind-body connection - Practicing mindfulness to draw together how the body feels physically and how the mind feels mentally; healing both physically and mentally

• Communication issues - Developing effective interpersonal skills in relationships with partners, families, and co-workers; using healthy methods of communication to convey needs and respond to others

• Life coaching - Identifying intentions and implementing strategies to build resilience and work towards one’s personal, health, or career goals

• Artists' mental health - Understanding of highly creative minds; goal setting related to the artistic and creative process; support finding meaningful balance in one’s life

Meet Rachel

A short hello from Rachel

Specialties

Types of therapy

Who Rachel works with

Ages

Adults, Elders (65+)

Communities

LGBTQ+, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-Binary, BIPOC, Black / African American, Latino / Hispanic, Asian American, Indigenous / Native American, Faith-Based, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Neurodivergent, People with Disabilities, Sex Worker Allied, Body Positive, Open Relationships / Non-Monogamy, Single Parents

Languages

English

Education and training

• Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, Northcentral University, 2018

• Mind-Body Wellness, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, 2012

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Emerson College, 1994

Certifications

Certifications—

• Mindfulness-based Therapy

• Transformational Coaching

• Clinical Hypnotherapy

Advanced Shamanic Training from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies