Allison Vorcheimer Introducing Rachel Heinrichs, a passionate psychologist who has relocated to South Florida and launched her new business, Breakwater Psychotherapy with her husband Ben. Together they have been married for 9 years and have 2 beautiful children; a 3-year-old boy and 7-month-old girl.
Rachel was born in New York but grew up in South Florida. She spent the last 18 years across the Midwest in pursuit of education, training, and experience in mental health. It has always been a dream of hers to return to South Florida to raise her family and establish her business.
Read on to learn more about Breakwater Psychotherapy and the mom behind it!
Tell us about your company.
Breakwater Psychotherapy is a family-owned psychotherapy practice that offers counseling services to the Palm Beach and Broward communities. We offer uniquely tailored individual, couples, group, and wellness services to folks in pursuit of emotional and mental wellbeing. Our mission is to reduce help-seeking barriers by making a variety of mental health services relevant, accessible, and affordable. We offer services via telehealth as well as in-person and work with individuals ages 16 and up. For more information about our services check us out at www.breakwaterpsychotherapy.com .
Psychology Today:
Why did you decide to pivot your career and start your own business?
We’ve had the privilege of working with incredible mentors and colleagues across the many places where we have worked. Within these various systems Ben and I have offered over thousands of hours of therapy and have chosen roles where we could improve the experience of people seeking services and the providers that worked within them. We noticed that across the various systems, there were some common themes such as- provider burnout, change that occurred slowly, systems that perpetuated marginalization and health care inequalities, and services that didn’t always align with community needs. We became increasingly committed to the creation of a business that prioritizes accessibility, collaboration, cultural responsibility, accountability, and authenticity, as well as work/life support for its staff.
How do you juggle running your company with spending time with your family?
I am still learning how to juggle the many demands of running my own practice and raising a young family. I often feel I am pulled in a million directions all at once. But, when things start to feel overwhelming, I re-ground myself in the present and remind myself of my values.
Were you able to take maternity leave? What was that like for you and your family?
In terms of maternity leave, I was privileged to have 12 weeks of paid leave through a previous employer. This, in combination with the flexibility facilitated by managing my own business, has allowed me to spend more time with my children than I otherwise would have.
What has been the greatest challenge in your career?
One of the biggest challenges in my career was taking the risk to start my own business. To this point, all of my work has been at agencies or centers with plenty of structure and years of established policies and procedures for nearly everything. In designing and creating Breakwater, my husband and I have had to make a lot of decisions-and it’s been incredibly exciting and nerve-wracking to take on more responsibility in this way. We want to get creative, outside the box, and current. It’s been incredible to see our ideas come to life, but it has been a challenge at times to navigate everything that comes with starting a small business while also parenting our young children and supporting our family.
What lessons have you learned in your career that you apply to parenting (or vice versa)?
I think the most important thing I have learned throughout my education and training is how to be present with others. There is an art to being able to step outside of yourself, to open yourself up to someone else’s thoughts and ideas and ways of being, and ultimately give them your undivided attention. I would be lying if I said that I am 100-percent present all of the time with my children, but it is of the utmost importance to me to give each of them as much of my undivided attention everyday as possible.
What do you hope to pass to your children about success and failure?
I think that goals are important to have but it feels incredibly important to also be flexible in the face of ever-changing situations and the messiness of life. I hope to instill in my children an understanding that life is a process, rich with ups and downs and everything in between, and that ultimately, it’s the journey not the destination that will stick with you. I also hope that, as I learn to apply those lessons in my own life, I can model for my kids that it’s not about being perfect but rather it’s about learning, growing and acting with integrity and humility.
.How has motherhood impacted you both personally and professionally?
I’ve always been a people pleaser, and while I like this quality about myself it has often come at the expense of my desires, hopes and aspirations. Since having children, I’ve learned to set better boundaries with myself and others. Also, being a mom has forced me to have to prioritize how I spend my time and be okay with things not getting done on my timeline. Also being a mom constantly forces me to think outside myself which is very humbling.
Is there a promo code or discount code you can offer readers?
We are offering a 10% discount on your first visit for any service. When reaching out, mention SOFLO MOMS. Promotion ends 7/1/2022. To get started visit www.breakwaterpsychotherapy.com
Some FUN! Getting to know YOU:
How do you like your coffee: Decaf vanilla latte
Favorite SoFlo Date Night: Beach and gelato
Favorite SoFlo Restaurant: Any restaurant by the beach.
Best place you have traveled to: Capri, Italy
What’s on the top of your bucket list: Greece
Most embarrassing mom moment: Last week when I took my toddler to the park but forgot diapers and wipes! Thank goodness for the kind mom who saw me struggling and offered to lend some wipes!
Best mom advice you’ve received: It’s okay not to love every moment of being a parent, but also try your best to savor what you can because it goes by fast!
Favorite SoFlo family activity: Our family loves to wake up early to see the sunrise at the beach.
Best binge-worthy tv show: Ozark.
What do you do for self care: Walks outside with my husband and children, especially when we can go into nature.
Favorite way to spend time with friends: Food, laughs and music!
Connect with Breakwater Psychotherapy at:
Twitter: @breakwaterpsych
