Philosophy

Welcome to Safe Harbor Counseling San Diego and the therapy office of Rebecca Rabe, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. For the past 20 years, I have been working with children, teenagers, and young adults to develop the skills necessary to navigate through life successfully. I assist clients in developing insight into their current life situation, broaden their ability to cope with some of life's greatest challenges, and nurture their resiliency. I promote healthy relationships between youth and their parents by facilitating effective communication and strengths-based parenting. I believe in a holistic approach and will work with parents, families, physicians, psychiatrists, and teachers to ensure that the best treatment is provided.

I work with children, teenagers, and young adults who experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD, addictions, panic attacks, truant behaviors, and ADHD.  I work with survivors of trauma, including sexual assault, domestic violence, or child abuse or neglect. I focus on helping the individual, and will work with their parents and/or family when clinically appropriate.

For intern therapists, I provide clinical individual and group supervision. I believe in helping the upcoming generation of therapists strengthen their skills, develop their theoretical orientation, and better understand professional legal/ethical guidelines. I have special training in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Family Systems Therapy.

Education and Licensure

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California San Diego. Upon completion of my undergraduate studies, I attended the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education to earn my Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. While at USC, I completed my MFT traineeship at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Adolescent Medicine. This traineeship provided me with the foundation to begin a career working with adolescents and their families to overcome trauma, address mental health issues, and recover from substance abuse and addiction.

I am certified in Animal Assisted Human Health by the Firefly Institute for Research and Education and am a Therapy Dog Handler providing Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) to clients. Animal Assisted Therapy is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, or cognitive function. AAT is a supplement to traditional mental health interventions in the counseling environment. Animal Assisted Therapy consists of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) and Animal Assisted Activities (AAA). AAT facilitates the development of a stronger therapeutic relationship between the therapist/canine and the client. AAT has also been shown to improve self-esteem and self-confidence. Physiological benefits of AAT include a decrease in blood pressure and cortisol, and an increase in oxytocin.

I am currently pursuing a certification in Play Therapy through the University of California San Diego with an anticipated completion date of December 2023. Play Therapy is defined by the Association of Play Therapy (APT) as “the systemic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained Play Therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.” I utilize various forms of play therapy, such as the use of therapy dogs, sand tray, art therapy, etc. in my practice.

I am in good standing with the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #51295.

Achievements and Interests

During my time at UCSD, I was a student athlete competing on the NCAA Women's Swim Team. While competing at the collegiate level, I was a NCAA National Champion (1997), a nine-time All-American (1997 and 1998), and was named Rookie of the Year for the 1996-97 season. I am also a two-time Ironman Triathlon finisher (2011 and 2012) and a two-time Ironman Triathlon 70.3 finisher (2010 and 2011).

In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, hiking, and photography.