Dr. Rebekah DePretis, PsyD
My first brush with psychology was as a middle schooler, when my parents dragged me to family therapy as a last-ditch effort to salvage our crumbling family – a bold move for a traditional Italian American family living in rural Pennsylvania. I was resistant at first, but the therapeutic process unfolded me from myself. It provided me a space to feel seen and heard. And most of all, it was a much- needed reprieve from the staunchly Catholic environment I was used to, wrought with misplaced shame and guilt. I had experienced the power of therapy and was determined to provide similar experiences for others.
I attended Xavier University in Cincinnati to pursue an undergraduate degree in Psychology. My collegiate exploits cultivated a passion for trauma work, advocacy for marginalized populations, social justice, and the exciting future prospects of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. In my spare time, I volunteered at a local suicide hotline, where I provided acute crisis care to individuals across the country struggling through suicidality, domestic violence, sexual assault, social ostracization, and addiction recovery.
In May 2023, I completed my Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at William James college in Boston. Throughout my training, I worked within outpatient, in- home, residential, and partial-hospitalization settings providing services to individuals, couples, and groups of all ages and identities. Across all settings and clientele, I have held on to a common thread: the importance of establishing a genuine, curious, and unconditionally caring relationship with every client. I believe the most important tool we can bring to the therapy room is ourselves; showing up genuinely and vulnerably to create a therapeutic relationship that feels safe and empowering. Through this relationship, we can work together to understand how your own life experiences, strengths, passions, quirks, and values have developed, are manifested in the present, and can help you move towards the life that you see for yourself. I feel deeply privileged to walk next to you on this journey.
---When I’m not being a psychologist, you can find me traveling to obscure places, honing my culinary skills, thrifting, or developing film for my fine art photography endeavors---
Book a 15 minute phone consultation below.