Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Rachel Glik
Dr. Rachel , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From a young age, I knew I needed to help alleviate the suffering of others. I remember like it was yesterday witnessing someone being harmed and humiliated when I was around 5 years old. I couldn’t shake it. Being highly sensitive, I received messages throughout my childhood that I would take others’ problems home so I should stay away from the helping profession altogether. Taking a circuitous route up through my early 20s, my calling to help others wouldn’t relent. A personal crisis in my life inspired a sharp turn ‘home.’ I dove into the journey to become a psychotherapist, earning my Doctorate in Counseling in 1994. I then opened a private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor helping people heal and thrive, and working with couples in distress. I found purpose and work I loved.
All the while, a gentle voice kept tapping at my soul. I started digging for more answers about life, myself, and especially my marriage. My husband and I both yearned for a deeper understanding of how to live your best married life. Together, we explored spiritual wisdom to open the gates to thinking bigger about ourselves and our relationship. Ultimately, in 2004, we discovered the universal teachings of Kabbalah.
Because of the profound shift, within me and in the quality of our marriage, I wagered a serious, experimental pivot in my private practice to see how I could weave these universal spiritual ideas into the healing work and traditional marriage therapy. I remember the first time I took this risk with a couple as if it were yesterday. I had no idea what this would mean, to integrate the two, but as the process naturally unfolded, couple after couple, I marveled at the healing I witnessed. I knew I was on to something. The blending of kabbalistic wisdom with modern psychotherapy quickly became my most powerful tool to help others.
I have recently endeavored to put into writing all that I have learned about relationships, from my own marriage journey and through my work with clients. My new book, A Soulful Marriage: Healing Your Relationship through Responsibility, Growth, Priority and Purpose, will be released by the publisher February 2025. This book is a life’s work and a thank you note to the Universe for guiding my husband and I to the secrets of life and lasting love, and for guiding me to find real tools to help other couples.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to where I am today, as a counselor, kabbalah teacher, writer, married woman, mother, and grandmother has definitely not been smooth. Fortunately I have as a guide map the universal idea that our challenges form the pathway to greater blessings.
One of my first struggles was dealing with being a highly sensitive person. I steered away from my calling because of it, especially due to the messaging I received that I couldn’t handle other people’s problems. I now see my intuition and sensitivity as the gift I’ve been given to make the world better, to help others find greater self love, joy and inner peace. I had to transform what I had viewed as a weakness, a liability and see that this part of my design is my greatest gift that I must use to share with others.
I was also faced with what I used to call as my nemesis of a professor when I was earning my Masters in Psychology along the way to my doctorate. This advisor was harsh but in the end, she was exactly what I needed. I was the only student of hers that didn’t fire her as their masters thesis advisor, and she sparked a determination in me that helped me grow into an independent thinker and writer. I thank her all the time in my mind and should probably let her know how much she taught me by not forcing me to step it up.
My husband and I experienced some marriage challenges that became a huge blessing but at the time were terrifying. He was the surest decision of my life and so I was stunned when we had work to do on our relationship. I see now that this was exactly the wake up call we both needed to learn how far love can go and grow, and the personal transformation that a good marriage should cultivate. There is no way I could help the couples I help today had I not been there myself. I see what we experienced as a kiss and nudge from the Universe to set me towards my work in the world.
I found myself in another difficult dilemma when my husband and I discovered the wisdom of Kabbalah. This kind of spirituality was not the norm in my upbringing or community. To study and practice the teachings meant going against the grain of my family, whom I love and adore. I see it now as another opportunity to exercise my unique individuality and letting go of my lifelong tendency to seek approval. The resonance of the wisdom was just too strong for me to ignore which gave me the push I needed to prioritize my own authenticity and risking not fitting in. I see now that living true to oneself does not have to come at the expense of feeling close and connected to the ones I love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a licensed professional counselor, I am known for my compassionate yet challenging approach, along with an approachable spiritual focus. I rely on my intuition which I have grown to trust more and more over the years. I have counseled individuals, couples and families in private practice for 30+ years. My clients enrich my life far more than I could ever enrich theirs. Each are sacred and dear to me.
I am grateful for the privilege of being a regular feature on Fox2 as a relationship and mental health expert. I began writing blogs and doing segments in 2014. The executive producer summed it up by saying that I get to the heart of what we deal with every day… and that is our relationship with ourselves and with each other. I passionately strive to empower my clients to connect to their truer self, which forms the foundation for the niche she has carved in strengthening relationships.
My most predominant specialty is couples counseling. I have found it so powerful to blend traditional marriage therapy with ancient spiritual wisdom. You will see these ideas in my new book, expected for release in February 2024. (A Soulful Marriage) If I were to share something I am most proud of it would be the effort I have put into this book. I work very intuitively with my clients, so doing my level best to put the creative process of marriage therapy into writing has required intense focus and continuous asking of the Creator for help. I hope that the wisdom and tools come through to make a real difference in your relationship with yourself and with your mate.
I place high priority on spiritual practice and constant growth, and hope to inspire everyone to find, focus on, and strengthen the gift inside each of their challenges, and within themselves.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I would start with my husband as my biggest cheerleader. In my 20s, he allowed me to earn my masters and doctoral degrees with full support, respect and patience as I found my way to my calling. He values and respects what I do and his belief in me is something I have borrowed many times, especially when I take on a new project or when I stretch myself to create new ways to reach more people.
My father (of blessed memory) and my mother have always given me space to explore who I am and find my purpose. My mother in particular modeled to me what it means to have a purpose-driven career as a leader and counselor in the planned parenthood movement starting in the 1970s.
I had wonderful professors in graduate school who opened me to the healing power of therapy and who challenged me to self-reflect on my areas of growth to become a better instrument of transformation.
My teachers at the Kabbalah Center have played a huge role in my ability to offer a path of healing and empowerment to my clients. The wisdom going back thousands of years is so relevant for day to day life and it’s become the secret sauce to help people rise to a better life and relationship, beyond what they ever imagined. I have also learned a great deal by watching how they conduct themselves, treat people and handle difficult scenarios and conversations with diplomacy and human dignity.
Pricing:
- 19.95 A Soulful Marriage: Healing Your Relationship With Responsibility, Growth, Priority, and Purpose, pre-order on Amazon
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drrachelglik.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrachelglik/
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1640657681/?tag=churchpublisi-20
