Anxiety, OCD, Trauma & Identity Therapy | Newport Beach, CA
AlchemyMind
Rachel Airth, LMFT #164282 Newport Beach, CA & Online
AlchemyMind
Grainy monochrome study in light and shadow, introducing the areas of therapy Rachel works with

What Brings You Here

Healing begins with curiosity.

I don't believe people are broken or need to be "fixed." I believe every person makes sense in the context of their experiences.

The ways we think, feel, protect ourselves, and relate to others all develop for a reason. Some of those patterns continue to serve us, while others begin to keep us feeling stuck. Therapy isn't about becoming someone different. It's about understanding yourself more deeply so you have the freedom to choose what comes next.

Every meaningful transformation begins with a question: Why do I keep repeating this pattern? Why does this still affect me? Why can't I seem to move forward? What if life could feel different? The questions are different for everyone, but they all begin in the same place.

Curiosity creates understanding.

Understanding creates choice.

Choice creates transformation.

Anxiety, OCD & Overthinking Therapy in Newport Beach & California

When your mind feels stuck, therapy can help you find more freedom

Do you find yourself caught in cycles of worry, overthinking, or trying to find certainty before you can move forward?

Maybe your mind feels like it is always analyzing, planning, checking, or preparing for what could go wrong. Maybe you know your fears are bigger than the situation itself, but you still feel unable to quiet the thoughts.

Living with anxiety or OCD can feel exhausting. It can make even ordinary decisions feel overwhelming and create the sense that your mind is working against you.

Therapy can help you change your relationship with your thoughts, not by eliminating every uncomfortable feeling, but by building the confidence and flexibility to move through life without being controlled by fear.

Understanding What Is Happening Beneath the Surface

Anxiety and OCD are often about more than worry. They are often connected to a deeper desire to feel safe, certain, prepared, or in control.

Together, we may explore:

  • The patterns that keep anxiety and intrusive thoughts feeling powerful
  • The ways you respond to uncertainty
  • The beliefs and fears driving perfectionism or self-criticism
  • The difference between helpful problem-solving and exhausting mental loops
  • How to reconnect with your values even when anxiety is present

Moving Toward a Life Beyond Fear

Healing does not mean you will never experience anxiety again. It means learning that anxiety does not have to determine your choices, limit your life, or define who you are.

Together, we can create more space for confidence, freedom, and trust in yourself.

I offer anxiety and OCD therapy in Newport Beach, California, and virtually throughout California.

How This Work Happens

How do I stop letting fear make my decisions?

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Fear, anxiety, and self-doubt often convince us that we need to feel better before we can start living the life we want. ACT offers a different path. Instead of trying to eliminate difficult thoughts and emotions, we learn how to make space for them while choosing actions that align with what matters most.

Together, we'll identify your core values, develop greater psychological flexibility, and build a life guided by intention rather than fear.

Moving toward a life guided by your values instead of your fears.

Can I learn to live with uncertainty?

Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)

If you struggle with OCD, your mind may constantly search for certainty, reassurance, or ways to prevent something bad from happening. Unfortunately, the more we chase certainty, the stronger anxiety often becomes.

ERP is considered the gold-standard treatment for OCD. Together, we'll gradually practice facing uncertainty without relying on compulsions or reassurance, helping you build confidence in your ability to tolerate discomfort and reclaim your life from fear.

Moving toward freedom from the cycle of fear, reassurance, and compulsions.

How can I change patterns that no longer serve me?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors constantly influence one another. Sometimes we develop patterns that once helped us cope but now leave us feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected.

CBT helps us recognize these patterns and gently challenge the beliefs that keep them in place. As awareness grows, so does your ability to respond differently, with greater intention rather than automatic reaction.

Moving toward greater awareness, flexibility, and confidence in the choices you make.

What becomes possible when I can pause and notice before I react?

Mindfulness

Mindfulness invites us to slow down and become curious about what is happening in the present moment: our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and impulses, without immediately judging or trying to change them.

By developing greater awareness of our inner experience, we can create space between what we feel and how we respond. This space can offer more choice, compassion, and connection to ourselves.

Moving toward greater presence, self-awareness, and intention in how you meet your life.

How can I hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Sometimes, two things can be true at once. You can love someone and still need boundaries. You can be doing your best and still want to grow. You can accept where you are while also working toward something different.

DBT helps us develop the ability to hold these seemingly opposing truths without feeling like we have to choose one or the other. Through mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, we can learn to navigate difficult emotions and relationships with greater flexibility and intention.

Moving toward greater balance, emotional flexibility, and the ability to respond to life's complexities without losing yourself.

Trauma, Grief & Life Transitions Therapy in Newport Beach & California

When life changes you, therapy can help you reconnect with yourself

Some experiences change us.

A painful relationship. A loss you never expected. A childhood experience that continues to impact you. A life transition that leaves you wondering who you are now.

Trauma and grief are not only about what happened. They are about how those experiences continue to shape the way we see ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us.

You may find yourself feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, stuck in old patterns, or unsure how to move forward. Therapy offers a space to understand what you have carried and begin creating a different relationship with your story.

Healing What Has Been Carried

Many of the patterns we develop are not signs that something is wrong with us. They are often ways we learned to protect ourselves.

Together, we may explore:

  • Complex trauma and PTSD
  • Childhood and relational wounds
  • Attachment patterns
  • Experiences that impacted your sense of safety or belonging
  • Grief and loss
  • Divorce and major life changes
  • The emotions that come with unexpected transitions

Transforming Pain Into Growth

The goal of therapy is not to erase your past or become someone different.

It is about honoring what you have survived, understanding how it shaped you, and creating space for a future that feels more connected, authentic, and intentional.

I offer trauma therapy in Newport Beach, California, and virtually throughout California.

How This Work Happens

Why do certain experiences still affect me years later?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Sometimes our minds move on, but our nervous systems continue carrying the weight of painful experiences. Trauma, loss, or overwhelming events can remain "stuck," influencing how we think, feel, and respond long after they've happened.

EMDR helps the brain process these experiences so they become integrated rather than overwhelming. The goal isn't to erase the past. It's to lessen its emotional hold so you can engage more fully in the present.

Moving toward freedom from the weight of experiences that no longer need to define your present.

Why do different parts of me seem to want different things?

Parts Work (IFS-Informed)

Have you ever felt like one part of you wants to move forward while another wants to hide? Maybe one part strives for perfection while another feels exhausted. Or one part longs for connection while another fears getting hurt.

Rather than seeing these parts as flaws, Parts Work helps us understand them as protective strategies that developed for good reasons. By approaching each part with curiosity instead of judgment, we create space for healing, self-understanding, and greater inner harmony.

Moving toward a relationship with yourself rooted in compassion rather than conflict.

How can I hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Sometimes, two things can be true at once. You can love someone and still need boundaries. You can be doing your best and still want to grow. You can accept where you are while also working toward something different.

DBT helps us develop the ability to hold these seemingly opposing truths without feeling like we have to choose one or the other. Through mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, we can learn to navigate difficult emotions and relationships with greater flexibility and intention.

Moving toward greater balance, emotional flexibility, and the ability to respond to life's complexities without losing yourself.

What if the stories I've been living by no longer fit?

Narrative Therapy

Each of us carries stories about who we are, where we belong, and what we're capable of. Many of these stories are shaped by our families, culture, religion, relationships, and past experiences.

Narrative Therapy invites us to explore those stories with curiosity. Together, we'll examine which beliefs still serve you, which no longer do, and begin authoring a story that feels more aligned with your values, identity, and authentic self.

Moving toward a story that feels intentional, empowering, and authentically yours.

Identity, Authenticity & Belonging Therapy in Newport Beach & California

Discovering who you are beneath the expectations placed upon you

Many of us grow up learning messages about who we should be, how we should live, and what makes us worthy of love and belonging.

Sometimes those messages align with who we truly are. Other times, they leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves.

You may find yourself questioning old beliefs, navigating identity changes, exploring your sexuality, or trying to understand who you are outside of the expectations of others.

Therapy can provide a space to explore your story with honesty, compassion, and curiosity.

Creating a Life That Feels Authentic

Together, we may explore:

  • LGBTQIA+ identity and self-discovery
  • Coming out later in life
  • Religious trauma and changing belief systems
  • Shame and self-acceptance
  • Family, cultural, or societal expectations
  • Building confidence in your own values and choices
  • Creating a life that feels aligned with who you truly are

When the Stories You Inherited No Longer Fit

Sometimes the most important work is asking:

"Is this belief truly mine, or is it something I learned to carry?"

Therapy can help you examine the stories, expectations, and patterns that have shaped you while creating space for a more authentic version of yourself.

How This Work Happens

What if the stories I've been living by no longer fit?

Narrative Therapy

Each of us carries stories about who we are, where we belong, and what we're capable of. Many of these stories are shaped by our families, culture, religion, relationships, and past experiences.

Narrative Therapy invites us to explore those stories with curiosity. Together, we'll examine which beliefs still serve you, which no longer do, and begin authoring a story that feels more aligned with your values, identity, and authentic self.

Moving toward a story that feels intentional, empowering, and authentically yours.

How do I stop letting fear make my decisions?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Fear, anxiety, and self-doubt often convince us that we need to feel better before we can start living the life we want. ACT offers a different path. Instead of trying to eliminate difficult thoughts and emotions, we learn how to make space for them while choosing actions that align with what matters most.

Together, we'll identify your core values, develop greater psychological flexibility, and build a life guided by intention rather than fear.

Moving toward a life guided by your values instead of your fears.

Why do different parts of me seem to want different things?

Parts Work (IFS-Informed)

Have you ever felt like one part of you wants to move forward while another wants to hide? Maybe one part strives for perfection while another feels exhausted. Or one part longs for connection while another fears getting hurt.

Rather than seeing these parts as flaws, Parts Work helps us understand them as protective strategies that developed for good reasons. By approaching each part with curiosity instead of judgment, we create space for healing, self-understanding, and greater inner harmony.

Moving toward a relationship with yourself rooted in compassion rather than conflict.

Infertility & Reproductive Mental Health Therapy in Newport Beach & California

Holding hope, grief, and uncertainty all at once

The journey toward building a family can carry some of life's most complicated emotions.

There may be hope, excitement, fear, grief, disappointment, and uncertainty, all existing at the same time.

Infertility and reproductive challenges can impact not only your plans for the future, but also your identity, relationships, and sense of control.

You may feel alone in your experience, especially when others do not fully understand the emotional weight you are carrying.

Therapy provides a space to process these experiences with compassion and without judgment.

A Space for the Complexity of This Journey

Together, we may explore:

  • Infertility and fertility treatments
  • IVF and reproductive decisions
  • Pregnancy loss
  • Grief related to the family you imagined
  • Relationship stress during fertility challenges
  • Identity and self-worth
  • Feelings of isolation, uncertainty, or anger

Supporting You Through the Uncertainty

My approach recognizes that grief and hope can exist together.

Therapy can help you:

  • Process painful emotions
  • Develop self-compassion
  • Navigate uncertainty
  • Strengthen your relationships
  • Reconnect with yourself beyond this experience

Making Meaning Through Difficult Seasons

Some losses are complicated because they involve something we deeply hoped for but never had the chance to experience.

Therapy can provide space to honor that grief while finding ways to move forward with compassion and meaning.

I offer infertility and reproductive mental health therapy in Newport Beach, California, and virtually throughout California.

How This Work Happens

How do I stop letting fear make my decisions?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Fear, anxiety, and self-doubt often convince us that we need to feel better before we can start living the life we want. ACT offers a different path. Instead of trying to eliminate difficult thoughts and emotions, we learn how to make space for them while choosing actions that align with what matters most.

Together, we'll identify your core values, develop greater psychological flexibility, and build a life guided by intention rather than fear.

Moving toward a life guided by your values instead of your fears.

Why do different parts of me seem to want different things?

Parts Work (IFS-Informed)

Have you ever felt like one part of you wants to move forward while another wants to hide? Maybe one part strives for perfection while another feels exhausted. Or one part longs for connection while another fears getting hurt.

Rather than seeing these parts as flaws, Parts Work helps us understand them as protective strategies that developed for good reasons. By approaching each part with curiosity instead of judgment, we create space for healing, self-understanding, and greater inner harmony.

Moving toward a relationship with yourself rooted in compassion rather than conflict.

What if the stories I've been living by no longer fit?

Narrative Therapy

Each of us carries stories about who we are, where we belong, and what we're capable of. Many of these stories are shaped by our families, culture, religion, relationships, and past experiences.

Narrative Therapy invites us to explore those stories with curiosity. Together, we'll examine which beliefs still serve you, which no longer do, and begin authoring a story that feels more aligned with your values, identity, and authentic self.

Moving toward a story that feels intentional, empowering, and authentically yours.

How can I hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Sometimes, two things can be true at once. You can love someone and still need boundaries. You can be doing your best and still want to grow. You can accept where you are while also working toward something different.

DBT helps us develop the ability to hold these seemingly opposing truths without feeling like we have to choose one or the other. Through mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, we can learn to navigate difficult emotions and relationships with greater flexibility and intention.

Moving toward greater balance, emotional flexibility, and the ability to respond to life's complexities without losing yourself.

Couples Therapy in Newport Beach & California

Creating deeper connection, understanding, and a relationship that feels intentional

Relationships often bring out both the most beautiful and the most vulnerable parts of ourselves.

Over time, couples may find themselves caught in patterns of conflict, feeling disconnected, or struggling to communicate in ways that create closeness.

Sometimes the issue is not a lack of love. It is that each person is carrying their own experiences, needs, fears, and ways of protecting themselves.

Couples therapy provides a space to slow down, understand each other more deeply, and create new ways of connecting.

Understanding the Patterns Between You

Together, we may explore:

  • Communication challenges
  • Emotional disconnection
  • Conflict patterns
  • Trust and repair
  • Intimacy and connection
  • Parenting and life transitions
  • Infertility and shared grief
  • Strengthening your partnership

How This Work Happens

How can we learn to communicate and repair differently?

Gottman Method

Even couples who deeply love each other can fall into patterns of criticism, defensiveness, disconnection, or misunderstanding. The Gottman Method helps couples recognize these patterns and develop practical skills for communicating more effectively, navigating conflict, strengthening friendship and intimacy, and repairing when things go off course.

Rather than focusing only on solving the problem in front of you, we'll work toward building the skills and connection that help you navigate the inevitable challenges of being in a relationship.

Moving toward greater understanding, effective communication, and a stronger foundation for lasting connection.

What is happening underneath our conflict?

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Often, the argument isn't really about the dishes, the money, the parenting, or who said what. Beneath the conflict can be deeper emotions and attachment needs: the longing to feel loved, understood, valued, and secure in the relationship.

EFT helps couples slow down their recurring cycle, understand the emotions and needs underneath it, and create new ways of reaching for and responding to one another. Together, we work to build a relationship where vulnerability feels safer and both partners can experience greater emotional security and connection.

Moving toward a relationship where both partners feel seen, valued, and securely connected.

There isn't one right path, only the one that's right for you.