A Commitment to Meaningful Change

I believe that the most effective psychotherapy doesn’t just manage symptoms — it helps you understand the patterns that keep you stuck and empowers you to build a life aligned with what truly matters to you.

Over more than three decades as a licensed clinical psychologist, I’ve worked with people navigating anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic worry, major life transitions, and the emotional weight of chronic illness. What I’ve learned is that lasting change rarely comes from a one-size-fits-all protocol. It comes from a therapeutic relationship grounded in precision, compassion, and a deep respect for each person’s unique experience.

My approach integrates the rigor of behavioral science with the wisdom of mindfulness and contemplative traditions. This means I draw on the best available evidence while also honoring the deeper human questions that bring people to therapy: How do I stop struggling against my own mind? How do I live with uncertainty? How do I move toward what matters when everything feels overwhelming?

A Process-Based Approach

My clinical work is grounded in Process-Based Therapy (PBT) — a modern, evidence-based framework that goes beyond diagnostic labels to understand the specific psychological processes that are maintaining your difficulties. Rather than applying a standard treatment protocol for “anxiety” or “depression,” I work with you to identify the unique combination of processes — avoidance patterns, rigid thinking, disconnection from values, emotional overwhelm — that are operating in your life, and I tailor treatment accordingly.

This approach draws from several well-established therapeutic traditions, each selected based on what your situation actually requires:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — cultivating psychological flexibility so you can respond to difficult thoughts and feelings with openness rather than struggle

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — examining the relationships between thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to create concrete, measurable change

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold-standard treatment for OCD and related anxiety conditions

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) — interrupting cycles of rumination and depressive thinking through present-moment awareness

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills — building capacity for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness

What ties these approaches together is a coherent scientific framework rooted in contextual behavioral science and a philosophy of care that integrates mindfulness not as a technique, but as a way of being present — with yourself and with others.

Education & Experience

I earned my Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) from Wright State University, School of Professional Psychology, with specialization in clinical psychology. My training includes a clinical psychology residency at the Veterans Administration Medical Center and a post-doctoral year of supervised practice at Psychological Associates of the Black Hills.

I have practiced clinical psychology in Colorado since 1989 — both in private practice and at Kaiser Permanente Behavioral Health, where I served as staff psychologist and supervising psychologist from 1991 to 2019. This breadth of experience across institutional and independent settings has given me a deep understanding of what works in psychotherapy and why, across a wide range of clinical presentations and life circumstances.

I am committed to ongoing professional development and continue to deepen my training in process-based and contextual behavioral approaches, including advanced study in Relational Frame Theory, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the integration of contemplative practice within evidence-based psychotherapy.

Memberships & Affiliations

American Psychological Association (APA) • Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) • Colorado Psychological Association • International OCD Foundation

Begin With a Conversation

If you’re looking for a psychologist who will take the time to understand your unique experience — not just your diagnosis — I invite you to schedule a complimentary 15-minute Get Acquainted call. This brief conversation allows us both to assess whether we’re a good fit before beginning work together.

Vita for Rachael St.Claire PsyD

CURRENT WORK

Rachael St.Claire PsyD LLC
Licensed Psychologist, Private Practice,
Accepting new clients for virtual psychotherapy
303-351-2251 rachael.stclaire@hush.com

EDUCATION

Wright State University
Dayton, Ohio — Doctor of Psychology 1985 - 1988 American Psychological Association approved

Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio — Completed 130 quarter hours in Clinical Child Psychology Program 1982 – 1985

University of Illinois
Champaign-Urbana, Illinois — Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Psychology 1977 - 1980

Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, Illinois — psychology major completed 31 semester hours 1976 – 1977 Diploma with Honors Distinction

PRE-DOCTORAL CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP

Fort Meade Veterans Administration Medical Center / West River Mental Health Psychology Internship Consortium, Fort Meade and Spearfish, South Dakota, 1987-1988, full accreditation by the American Psychological Association

HONORS AND AWARDS

Kaiser Permanente Colorado Diversity Achievement Award Nominee – 2014

Kaiser Permanente National R. J. Erickson Diversity Achievement Award – 2013

Kaiser Permanente Colorado Diversity Achievement Award – 2013

ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

American Psychological Association: member since 1996

World Professional Association for Transgender Health, member since 1997.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Staff Psychologist, Kaiser Permanente, Behavioral Health Department, Denver, Colorado 1992-2019

• Staff psychologist 1992-2001

• Assistant Supervisor 2001-2003

• Clinic Supervisor 2003-2005

• Clinic Manager 2005-2008

• Senior Manager 2008-2009

• Staff Psychologist 2010-2017

• Transgender Behavioral Health Services (lead psychologist) 2017-2019

• Staff Psychologist responsibilities: out-patient psychotherapy; individual, couples and family therapy; psychological assessment, psychological testing, report writing; crisis intervention and involuntary mental health holds; group therapy and psycho- educational classes, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) groups.

• Transgender Behavioral Health responsibilities: therapy with children, teens, adults and parents to assess and resolve concerns related to gender identity and expression; therapeutic support for gender transition; WPATH assessment and referral for gender-affirming medical treatment; training behavioral health professionals in gender-affirming behavioral healthcare; supervising graduate psychology students and predoctoral psychology interns in gender-affirming behavioral healthcare; transgender services program development.

• Clinical Supervisor for pre-doctoral interns from the University of Denver Graduate School Professional Psychology.

• Past management responsibilities included managing operations of multi-disciplinary outpatient behavioral health clinics, including supervision of clinical and non-clinical staff, staff hiring, clinical supervision, oversight of all behavioral health clinical and clerical services, development of mental health outcome tracking, implementation of department and organizational strategic initiatives, and collaboration within a labor-management partnership with union represented employees

Field Supervisor, University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology; Denver, Colorado 2006-2017

• Clinical supervision of doctoral clinical psychology students; supervised activities include diagnostic interviewing, psychological assessment, and individual and group psychotherapy; approximately 5 students each academic year; committee member for doctoral student dissertations

Clinical Psychology Private Practice, Denver, Colorado 1995-present

• Psychological evaluation and psychotherapy

• Specializing in treatment of the full range of mental health conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and worry, panic disorder, trauma.

• Couples counseling using Emotion Focused Couples Therapy as developed by Sue Johnson.

Mobile Crisis Team Evaluator, Mental Health Corporation of Denver; Denver, Colorado 1995-1997

• Emergency psychological evaluation of acute or chronically mentally patients in the community and at emergency departments of general hospitals; evaluated dangerousness to self and others and gravely disabled; consulted with physicians and psychiatrists; evaluated patients for involuntary mental health holds

Private Group Practice, Clinical Psychologist, Craig, Colorado 1989-1991

• Psychological evaluation and therapy, forensic evaluation, competency evaluation, custody evaluation, consultation to mental health professionals

Psychological Associates of the Black Hills, Psychology Trainee, Spearfish, South Dakota 1988-1989

• Individual and group therapy, psychological evaluation, forensic evaluation, competency evaluation, custody evaluation, consultant to Archdiocese of Rapid City (Marriage Tribunal and Deaconate), professional workshop administration. Supervised by Robert Arnio PhD, licensed psychologist

Freshwater House; Psychological Assistant, Columbus, Ohio 1983-1985

• Psychological evaluation and individual psychotherapy. Supervised by Carol Manchester PhD, licensed psychologist

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE

Licensed Psychologist, Colorado, licensed since July 1991, License No 1546

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Long distance trail running, wilderness hiking, watercolor painting, mindfulness meditation