Rachel Cohan ’25MSW is a master’s level clinician at Elevate Counseling Services, a private practice group with several Massachusetts locations. Based in the Easton office, Cohan collaborates with clients to create and carry out treatment plans informed by their goals.
In her role, Cohan also uses diagnostic tools to assess symptoms and helps clients build skills to support positive behaviors. She counsels individuals, families, and couples, but most of her 45 clients are between the ages of 12 and 20.
Each may define progress differently, Cohan says.
“For some people, it’s learning coping skills or getting this really great insight. For others, especially teenagers, it’s having a place to talk that’s safe, confidential, and nonjudgmental,” she says.
On Choosing the Simmons MSW Advanced Standing Program
After earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Salve Regina University, Cohan enrolled in Simmons School of Social Work’s nine-month Advanced Standing Program, designed specifically for students who already hold a BSW. The program is available both on campus and online.
“I appreciated the flexible options,” she says.
She cites the outstanding opportunities for internships as another major reason for choosing the program. Lastly, as a native of Boston, Cohan was committed to giving back to the community that raised her.
“I wanted to come home to complete my education,” she says.
Preparation for a Social Work Career
Cohan reports that the program developed specialized knowledge and skills while also preparing her for a busy private practice. Courses such as “Child and Adolescent Trauma,” she says, introduced evidence-based therapeutic modalities and prompted stimulating in-class discussions.
“Our professors taught from experience, not from a textbook,” she says. “We learned from their practices, and the lessons weren’t so black and white.”
Cohan completed an immersive practicum at Shriners Children’s Boston. Working with a multidisciplinary team, she provided crisis intervention services to families facing acute medical crises and acted as a liaison to schools, community resource organizations, and outpatient clinics.
“It was an awesome experience,” says Cohan. “I’d learn about a strategy or coping skill in class and then have opportunities to apply it with kids and families the next day.”
The fast pace and wide-ranging patient and family needs, she adds, provided critical training for her current position. In addition, observing policy and theory in action, she says, “allowed me to better understand how the world impacts my clients.”
Why Social Work is Meaningful
“If a client opens up about one thing and feels better, even for a day, that’s success,” Cohan says.
“In therapy, you’re not always going to see monumental changes,” she adds. “Sometimes what’s most meaningful is witnessing small shifts and realizing a client has gained something positive from the therapeutic experience.”