About Rachel
Awaken your Body. Empower your Mind.
Do you want a healthier body and a healthier life?
Do you feel stuck or stressed out?
Are you in pain?
Are you seeking change, but unsure about what you want or where to begin?
Would you like to have more clarity and to make better life decisions?
Would you like to learn more about yourself?
decrease stress • increase self-awareness • manage difficult feelings •
alleviate pain • make better choices • lead a more fulfilling life
Philosophy
What you seek is already within you.
After years of working with people as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Yoga Instructor, and now a as a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Practitioner, my philosophy is simple: what you seek is already within you. In the busy lives we lead, it’s sometimes difficult to stop, listen and access the knowledge that resides deep inside of ourselves. Using a whole-body, client-centered approach, my passion is to: support you with listening to your own internal wisdom, assist you with connecting to what you really want and help to empower you in taking steps toward achieving your goals.
Research & Media
In the West, we have spent centuries relying on the “thinking mind” as our sole guide in gaining clarity and making choices. However, increasingly, studies are showing that our bodies, not our minds, store our emotional experiences and memories. This is where the term “body memory” originated. It is said that “the issues are in the tissues” thus demonstrating that, if we can learn to listen, our bodies offer a rich resource to inform and guide us. It has been proven in a large number of studies that not only can your mind change your body, but your body can change your mind. This research supports that working with both the mind and the body is the most effective way to gain awareness, heal, grow and create lasting transformation.
Watch this video to see Amy Cuddy discuss how changing your body posture for only 2 minutes can change your mind (and your life):
Watch this video to see Kelly McGonigal discuss how befriending your stress can make your body healthier and increase your life expectancy:
Qualifications
New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC); Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Fordham University Graduate School of Education; “Cultivating Emotional Mindfulness” 5-day workshop at The Cape Cod Institute; “Guilt and Shame in the Treatment of Trauma” 5-day workshop at The Cape Cod Institute; Co-Active Coach Training from The Coaches Training Institute.
Additional: Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Practitioner (9-month training intensive); Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) from Pure Yoga in New York City; Veterans Yoga Project: “Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery” 3-day Intensive.
Experience
Counseling Experience: The Karen Horney Clinic, John Jay College Counseling Center, Fordham University
Yoga Teaching Experience: John Jay College, Fordham University, Lululemon Athletica (Upper West Side, NYC), Athleta (Upper East Side, NYC), La Gran Ventana Resort in Dominican Republic, Hazelden Addiction and Treatment Center (A Betty Ford Clinic), The Conference for Peace and Justice NYC, Guest Speaker/Teacher for Jillian Pransky’s Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training for the “Trauma-Sensitive Yoga” module, Guest Teacher at New York Yoga, semi-private group classes and teaching privately in homes.
"JUST BECAUSE IT'S YOUR PAST, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S YOUR FAULT. NOR DOES IT MEAN IT'S YOUR DESTINY."
Services
(Rachel Shanken, LMHC)
Talk it out: A whole-body approach to talk therapy where you learn to listen to the unique messages of both your mind and body, increase your self-awareness, and receive support in taking action steps toward what you want.
(MindBodyWise)
(MindBodyWise)
" Your body has a story to tell. Learn to listen. "
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