Rafaela De Leon

MA, LMHC

therapist she/her

My primary aim with clients is in highlighting their innate strengths, helping them to connect with unexplored emotions, experience self compassion, develop an internal foundation of safety and discover a deep self knowing. I am intentional about cultivating an empowering and collaborative environment, striving to establish client autonomy and confidence in their intuitive ability to navigate toward vibrant whole health and alignment. I believe honesty, authenticity, and respect for the client lay the groundwork for the expansive and transformative evolution that we experience together in this healing work.

I have worked with people of all ages and with individuals experiencing a range of mental health challenges or personal roadblocks. Currently I work with older teens and adults. I specialize in working with complex trauma, PTSD, the queer community and chronic pain.

My client focus

With a foundation in a holistic approach to wellness, I consider the complexity of each individual's context; their internal, external, and transpersonal worlds. My approach is somatically focused; the energetic body is always relevant and guides my work with clients. My practice is politically informed and I am intentional about taking a liberatory and decolonial approach to healing.

I use a person-centered approach guided and informed by a feminist lens, with Internal Family Systems as a tool for integration and EMDR to release trauma. Person-centered therapy is based in recognizing one's own worth and ability to harness boundless potential to ultimately experience transformative healing and growth, emphasizing the client as the expert. It is an approach that ensures the client’s unique voice is always being heard and ultimately guides the therapeutic path. Feminist therapy identifies how one’s personal power may have been suppressed or taken from them by societal or familial structures, and provides the space for a regrowth of their intrinsic power. Internal Family Systems explores the various parts of ourselves, like our child self, our defensive self or our perfectionist self. In my work with clients I strive to help those parts find their voice and begin trusting the core Self to make space to live aligned with compassion and acceptance. These parts have needs and wounds that often must be expressed for healing to take place. Finally, I use EMDR to address these wounds. EMDR is a treatment that helps your brain to adaptively reprocess trauma so that it no longer holds the power in your internal system.

My therapeutic approach

Kota bear joins most sessions with us :)

Rafaela currently sees clients in person.

Schedule with Rafaela

She currently has a waitlist for new clients

Book Appointment

  • "This work we did together was the hardest yet most healing experience I’ve ever had in my life. I came in despondent emotionally and spiritually, every session I was restored just a bit more. I am finding my way again and excited about where this work we've done will lead me, what the work will show me." -former client

  • "Rafaela has an authentic presence that she brings to each of her clients. She understands how to hold space for clients to heal, and she knows how to connect with her clients in ways that help them to develop who they really are and who they want to be." -colleague

  • "Rafaela has a welcoming presence and a gentle energy that make her warm, approachable, and kind. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a skillful, affirming, and compassionate therapist. You will be well cared for by her." - colleague

  • "Rafaela made me feel safe. You can tell she truly loves her work and cares about you. Always understanding and compassionate. Never judging or disapproving of anything I ever said. And always had something to say that made me really think and gave me great insight. In talking with Rafaela, she helped me to find words for my feelings. In just a few short months, I was feeling happy. No longer angry. Reconciled my relationships with my family. She has truly changed my life." - former client

  • "I appreciated every single session that we have had together and I highly recommend her to others who are ready and willing to do the work to move forward in their own lives." - former client

  • "Rafaela embodies what it means to be an empath. She is an absolute pleasure to work with and so passionate about providing socially just, therapeutic care. As a client you can expect to form a strong alliance of support and care when working with Rafaela." - colleague

  • "Rafaela has an amazing ability to hold space and make her clients feel welcomed. She is warm, kind, and incredibly skilled as a therapist. Any client who walks into her office is sure to feel seen and heard as she supports them on their personal journey." - colleague

  • "Rafaela's commitment to social justice and understanding her client's holistically ensure she sees her clients fully. She supports her clients with a warm presence and provides clients with a sense of empowerment.” - colleague

  • "Rafaela is a brilliant, gifted therapist. Her artistic background makes her even more special, because she can understand the nuances in my situation, and treats me with respect, and compassion, but with forward movement in my life." - former client

  • "Rafaela is a warm, embracing therapist who works to lift up the voices of her clients and help them to experience their full potential in the world, while supporting them and advocating for them. " - colleague

  • "In less than one year, we have accomplished more clarity, growth, and self-worth than I ever imagined from counselling. Rafaela is extremely knowledgeable, kind, empathetic, and offers tools and suggestions that are doable and realistic. I highly recommend Rafaela." - former client

  • "Rafaela is an intuitive and holistic therapist that puts client care above all in her work. Her commitment to social justice, her natural warmth and her whole person approach are pillars in the incredible work she is doing in the community." - colleague

  • "Rafaela was so kind and thoughtful. She always made me feel safe to talk about whatever was bothering me and never made me feel like how I was feeling was wrong or bad. Rafaela made me feel like I had an advocate in my corner who truly believed in me" - former client

  • "Rafaela was competent and compassionate. She did a fantastic job of helping me reach my goals. Tough when I needed her to be, and always understanding." - former client

  • "Rafaela is amazing, sweet, understanding and willing to challenge what I think. She has patience when I am struggling to get past a roadblock and is a genuinely nice person. I cannot recommend her highly enough." - former client

  • "Rafaela is hands down the best therapist I’ve had. She’s very empathetic, welcoming, supportive and helpful throughout my entire time with her. I like her approach-no BS, straight to the point and focuses more on what the problem is instead of following a strict guideline. In short she’s in it with you to help you understand, solve and improve whatever situation you’re dealing with. I felt super comfortable with her from the get go. The EMDR sessions were my fav part of everything. I am now able to navigate life without being overwhelmed and feeling alone and helpless." -former client

  • “Rafaela embodies bold presence and compassionate witnessing- at the same time. She knows, from a deep place how to be in relationship with others in a safe and wise way. She is a natural who has built great skill and craft as a provider. Highly recommend!“ - colleague

  • “Rafaela is a warm, gentle, and intuitive counselor who's knowledge in trauma work allows them to skillfully create a space for clients to foster self compassion and a mindset of curiosity about their lives rather than shame or judgment.“ - colleague

  • "I worked with Rafaela for over two years, and the impact of our work together has been truly profound. Through her knowledge and skill in IFS and EMDR … I’ve healed, I’ve grown, and I’ve learned how to truly be my SELF. Rafaela didn’t just help me change — she helped me become. What sets Rafaela apart is her brilliant clinical knowledge that she combines with genuine humanness. She creates a space that is safe, grounded, and attuned — never clinical or distant. Her presence is steady and intuitive, and I’ve always felt seen, respected….and challenged when I’ve needed it. Working with Rafaela has been life-changing, and I can’t recommend her highly enough to anyone seeking meaningful, trauma-informed healing, or just help navigating life." - Former Client