Rachel Bentley , LMFT

Rachel Bentley is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) originally from Southern California who offers a broad clinical background working with individuals, children, couples, and families. She earned a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University and maintains LMFT licensure - LMFT stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a credential that reflects training in relational and systemic approaches.

Her professional experience spans group homes, school-based counseling, outpatient addiction programs, and residential services for adults with serious mental illness, giving her exposure to a diverse range of concerns. Rachel draws on object relations and attachment theory to help people understand how early caregiving relationships shape current patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating. She is also trained in cognitive behavioral therapies, dialectical behavior therapy, and play therapy, using evidence-informed strategies to address thought patterns and teach practical coping skills.

Rachel focuses on empowering clients to identify existing strengths and adapt unhelpful coping strategies so they better meet today’s needs. She works with issues such as stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy concerns, trauma and abuse, addiction, family problems, parenting challenges, grief, anger, depression, self-esteem, and life transitions. With a long personal connection to military life, she has a particular interest in serving military families and veterans while remaining actively involved in her children’s academic and sports activities outside of practice.

Attachment and skills-based approaches available online

Rachel Bentley integrates attachment-focused and skills-based therapies to support people through relationship struggles, anxiety, trauma, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early caregiving relationships shape current patterns of connection and reactivity, helping clients develop more secure ways of relating. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, offering practical tools for managing anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy and collaboration, creating space for clients to set the pace and direction of change while the therapist provides attuned support and reflection.

Finding the right approach is part of the work, and Rachel collaborates with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She draws on relational insight and concrete skills training to tailor interventions that feel both meaningful and useful.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which increase flexibility for scheduling and allow therapy to fit into busy routines. These formats make it easier to access licensed professionals from home or on the go while preserving the therapeutic focus on growth, coping skills, and improved relationships.