Hi, I’m Rachael
As a successful preschool teacher and life-long perfectionist, I approached motherhood with a lot of confidence. I had a nurturing personality and knowledge of child development. Certainly parenthood would come easily to me. But after my daughter’s birth, I really struggled to find my footing. It wasn’t until I was eight months postpartum, I finally sought help. I was diagnosed with postpartum depression and anxiety. Through therapy and the support of a mothers group, I began to find joy in motherhood.
As my daughter thrived in toddlerhood, I felt like the BEST mom. She was meeting every milestone early and strangers thought she must have been 5 at only 3 years old. However, as a mother of three, I began losing my confidence with every new parenting challenge I faced. I resorted to punishments and disconnected emotionally. I wasn’t at all living into the type of parent I wanted to be or envisioned for myself and my child. Punishments, threats, and bribes weren’t working - for anyone.
In an effort to get back to the kind of parent I knew was deep within me, I joined the Jai Institute for Parenting. It was through integrating that education that I reconnected with my children, and embraced a non-punitive, compassionate approach. One that is evidence-based and feels really good in my soul.
Fun facts about me…
I have a twin sister and she’s my best friend.
I met my husband while studying abroad in Australia - he’s from Michigan :).
I love being in the gym - Orangetheory Fitness is my happy place!
I am not a night person or a morning person - let your girl sleep!
I’m a Cancer sign.
I wear SPF 50 every single day of the year - even in a rain storm.
Professional Bio
As a Teach For America corps member, Rachael served as a lead teacher in a Head Start preschool classroom. She pursued her masters in early childhood education and gained invaluable, practical coaching and professional development in pedagogy and child development.
After leading in the classroom, Rachael accepted a position with Teach For America's Chicago regional team. For the next 12 years, she would work in various roles within the national education non-profit organization.
In 2015 Rachael welcomed her first child. Two more would follow in 2018 and 2020. Of course the various stages of baby-life were uniquely challenging. But it wasn't until having all three children reach ages where their individual personalities and needs required specific attention and care that Rachael realized, "this is the work." The work of raising humans is some serious business.
Rachael participated in a training and certification program with the Jai Institute of Transformational Parenting and then established Parenting on Mars.
