Rachael Giustino, LCSW

Rachael Giustino, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience in mental health and substance use counseling. She is currently a substance abuse counselor at Lexington Center for Recovery, where she has been serving clients since 2021, and is also building a private practice through Headway, offering therapy sessions as a contractor. Rachael’s practice is grounded in a trauma-informed approach, prioritizing safety, understanding, and empowerment for all her clients.

Rachael specializes in dual diagnosis treatment, helping individuals who are managing both mental health conditions and substance use disorders. She has advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma treatment and is working toward full EMDR certification. She also integrates evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, person-centered therapy, and somatic work to address the root causes of distress and support long-term healing.

Clients often describe Rachael as warm, calm, and easy to talk to. Her approach emphasizes understanding the impact of past experiences on current emotions, behaviors, and beliefs while moving at a pace that honors each client’s readiness. She works to help clients reduce emotional triggers, strengthen resilience, and create lives that feel safer, fuller, and more grounded. Rachael believes that therapy is a collaborative process and that clients should never feel alone in their healing journey.

Rachael’s path to social work was inspired by her early passion for helping others. While she originally pursued a career in music, she was inspired by her aunt Roberta, a social worker, and recognized that her interpersonal strengths and desire to make a difference were a perfect fit for the field. She attributes much of her professional success to a strong support network of family, her husband, and her colleagues at Lexington, highlighting the importance of collaboration and mentorship in clinical practice.

Rachael holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Columbia University (2016) and a Bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz. Over the course of her career, she has cultivated a deep expertise in trauma-informed care, substance abuse counseling, and dual diagnosis treatment, while maintaining a commitment to compassionate, client-centered practice. Her work continues to focus on helping individuals process trauma, manage mental health and substance use challenges, and achieve meaningful, lasting change in their lives.

• Master of Social Work (MSW), Columbia University, 2016
• Bachelor’s Degree, SUNY New Paltz

• LCSW

• Recognized for compassionate, client-centered care

• New York State Society of Clinical Social Work
• Verified by Psychology Today

• Mentorship and support for early-career social workers