Meet Rachel Needle | Licensed Psychologist, Certified Sex Therapist & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Needle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Following my heart and interests, caring about and believing in people, and taking calculated risks are some of the most important factors that have lead to my success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My professional life has always been very diverse. I am a Licensed Psychologist as well as an Entrepreneur. Along with providing psychotherapy to my clients, my goal has always expanded to helping others in a variety of ways. By this I mean, I have always felt a commitment to not only help my community, but to also support, mentor, and inspire others who are in the mental health field. What sets me apart is my deep passion, my ideas, and my vision. In order to be successful, I have always known the importance of taking risks. When I graduated with my Doctorate, I chose a path that was not traditional. Because I knew I wanted to be in private practice, I started in that direction immediately rather than attending a traditional salaried post-doctoral residency to get the hours I needed for Licensure. Most of the work that I have done, has been to provide a higher quality of service to help those in need. For example, I saw that I was receiving referrals for individuals that were coming to treatment for issues I did not specialize in. I struggled to find quality professionals to refer them to. I also noticed that families were going to two or three different offices to get their needs met, and lastly that not everyone could afford services. This is when I decided to open my group practice to include quality therapists, specialists in almost all areas of psychology, a place where families could get all their needs met under one roof, and with the goal to never turn anyone away based on inability to pay. I specialize in working with trauma, sex, relationships, and substance use disorder. All are areas that mental health professionals do not receive enough training in. Ten years ago, after being frustrating with the lack of great and flexible training available, I started my first continuing education training company for mental health professionals. I am proud of the different businesses I have built including: the group practice with excellent clinicians in all areas of psychology so we can meet the needs of almost any client that calls; a company that helps therapists start, build, and thrive in an (in person, online, and hybrid) private practice; a state-of-the-art continuing education and certification provider company that provides individual CEs and Certifications in areas including Trauma, Substance Use Disorder, Online Therapy, Sex Therapy, LGBTQIA Affirmative Therapy, Transgender Affirmative Mental Helath Care, and Alternative Relationships among others; a Licensed school that offers a Ph.D. in Clinical Sexology; and a consulting business. In the last decade, life has significantly changed. Now more than ever, there is now more of a need than ever for competent and well-trained mental health professionals and for easier access to services. I knew I wanted to be part of the conversation and I wanted to make sure that I played a role in this change. I am someone who both talks the talk and walks the walk. I am involved in my community, and am frequently quoted in and appear on media outlets, nationally. I volunteer and sit on many boards having to do with mental health in our community. I also work closely with our elected officials to make certain that the issues of mental health including substance use disorder are both understood and supported. I speak up; I have never been one to just sit back. Mental health is a vital part of health care and needs to be a priority. This is a message I do my best to get across to any audience I am in front of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best time ever begins by us being together no matter where we are! But we always make a point of spending time on my boat, the SexDock. There is no better place than being on the water; Being on a boat, in the water is my happy place. A stop a Peanut Island for a swim is always fun, then we would enjoy the breeze, music, and laughter. My best friend’s visit would always include dinner with my family, because my family is a big part of my life. Some of my favorite go-to restaurants and hangouts include Table 26, Hullabaloo, PapiChulo Tacos, the Blink Monk, and Dada.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother! My mother has taught me so many lessons in life. Among them, she has taught me to pursue my dreams, believe in myself, persevere, be tolerant, be sensitive to people’s struggles, and to show compassion towards others. My mom has supported, challenged, encouraged, and questioned me, all of which I need from time to time. She has shown me that you can be successful in all areas of life and create balance; she has taught me that you do not have to choose between success in business and success in relationships. My mother has taught me that you can be both strong and vulnerable, kind and assertive, busy and calm. Without my mom’s support, love, encouragement, example, and strength, I would not be the woman I am or as successful as I am today. In addition, my other family members, my father, brother, sister-in law, and step-father and my friends provide me with the love, laughter, kindness, and support that keep me smiling every day.

Website: www.modernsextherapyinstitutes.com AND www.wholehealthpsych.com AND www.advancedmentalhealthtraining.com AND www.drrachel.com AND www.myprivatepracticecollective.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrachelneedle/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-needle-950b183/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrRachelNeedle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drrachelneedle/ AND https://www.facebook.com/ModernSexTherapyInstitutes/ AND https://www.facebook.com/WholeHealthPsychologicalCenter/ AND https://www.facebook.com/groups/myprivatepracticetribe/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdrrW1jFNpljpW8W5v_I2cg

Image Credits
WPBF Channel 25 News Vive Magazine