About Rachel

Licensed in Michigan and Oklahoma

Helping You Feel Seen, Heard, and Supported.

Hello! I am Rachel Blalack. Living with a complex medical condition, or caring for someone who is, can feel overwhelming, isolating, and exhausting. Whether you’re navigating congenital heart disease (CHD), chronic illness, repeated hospitalizations, or the day-to-day challenges of a mental health condition, you do not have to carry it alone.

When we work together, my goal is to create a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported — without judgment. I understand how medical trauma, uncertainty, caregiving stress, grief, anxiety, and feeling “stuck” can become part of everyday life when health challenges are involved. So much can feel out of your control, and that can take a real emotional toll.

Your experiences are real. Your feelings are valid. And your voice matters.

In therapy, I partner with you to help make sense of your experiences, process difficult emotions, and reconnect with your strengths. Whether your goals include reducing anxiety, working through trauma, improving coping skills, navigating caregiver stress, adjusting to medical changes, managing a mental health diagnosis, or simply having a safe place to talk, our work together is centered on what matters most to you.

I believe healing doesn’t mean pretending hard things aren’t hard. It means learning how to carry them differently. Together, we’ll work toward helping you feel more empowered, more present, and more in control of your story.

What to Expect During Our Sessions

My therapeutic approach is collaborative, strengths-based, and grounded in compassion. I often integrate:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — to help identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns and beliefs
Strengths-Based Therapy — to help you recognize resilience you may not realize you already have
Mindfulness and Body Awareness — to better understand where stress, grief, and trauma show up in the body and how to work through those experiences in meaningful ways

I strongly believe that feelings are valid. Therapy isn’t about taking those feelings away — it’s about helping you process them differently so they no longer feel like they’re controlling your life.

About Me

Connection Matters Beyond the Session

Sports taught me that healing and growth happen through connection. After playing soccer from age four through college, I’ve learned that it takes a team, support, and a village. It’s an honor to be part of yours.

My Professional Background

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than 15 years of experience in mental health and medical social work. I obtained my BSW in 2011 and my MSW in 2016.

For the past five years, I’ve specialized in supporting children, adults, and families navigating complex cardiac conditions, including heart transplant. I also have extensive experience supporting individuals living with chronic illness, adjusting to new diagnoses, managing long-term mental health conditions, and coping with the emotional impact of hospital stays and medical uncertainty.

Because of my background in pediatric and medical settings, I understand the unique realities that come with chronic medical care, medical language, hospital systems, caregiver burnout, balancing hospital life with home life, uncertainty, and the emotional weight families often carry behind the scenes.

My mission is to partner with individuals and families during some of the hardest moments of their lives, helping them feel seen, heard, and supported. I believe it’s possible to hold both pain and hope at the same time. Hard things can exist while strengths grow alongside them.

Areas of Focus

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)
Chronic Illness & Medical Trauma
Heart Transplant Support
Caregiver Stress & Burnout
Anxiety & Depression
Grief & Loss
Life Transitions & Adjustment
Hospitalization & Medical Uncertainty
Children, Adolescents, Adults & Families

Outside the Therapy Room

Outside of my practice, I’m a wife and mom of two who loves spending time with my family. I am a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan and try to travel to Kansas City whenever I can. When I’m not supporting clients, you’ll probably find me treasure hunting through antique and thrift stores or curled up binge-watching true crime documentaries.

I believe connection matters, humor helps, and sometimes the smallest moments of support can make the biggest difference.

You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. I cannot wait to meet you.