We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Engels and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

I have always been interested in what makes relationships tick. I knew I wanted to be a marriage and family therapist early on, but when my husband and I moved out to LA so that he could pursue a career in the entertainment industry, helping people thrive in marriage took on a new importance for me. We learned quickly that life in the industry can be brutal for couples and families, but it can also be such a creatively fulfilling career path for those who can survive long enough to get established. It became a personal mission of mine to figure out how we – and the couples around us who were struggling to survive life in the industry – could succeed both in our relationships and in the kind of work we felt called to do here in LA.

So in addition to running my Glendale-based practice as a marriage and family therapist, I offer online coaching courses for couples, especially designed for those with irregular schedules who can’t attend traditional couples therapy.  And together with my husband, I’m in the process of launching a podcast called “Married to the Industry,“ where we highlight stories, challenges, and resources for other couples who are determined to crack the code of doing life well together in LA. We’ve learned that survival here takes not only takes tenacious commitment and a willingness to constantly adapt, but just as importantly, it requires the encouragement of those who have walked the path before us. None of us can do this alone.

That’s why it’s important to me to help hold up a lantern for other couples who are walking this crazy road in pursuit of thriving. Because when people are doing well in their closest relationships, they can thrive even in spite of adversity, and can produce work that is life-giving and meaningful, both for them and for the audience they serve.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

On any given day, the thing that drives my work is a desire to help other people flourish even in the midst of difficulty.  Some days that looks like teaching couples in my coaching course how to effectively resolve conflict, or providing EMDR therapy intensives to help people quickly overcome past trauma, ranging from minor events to severe PTSD.    Other days, I’m writing coaching curriculum or book proposals, working on the podcast for industry couples, or chatting with local pastors about how I can help support the couples in their congregations.  Anything I can do to help people build strong relationships or heal from prior traumas holds such deep meaning for me, because I know that the beneficial impact of that work can ripple throughout a person’s whole life and extend outward to their community as a whole.  When people are mentally and relationally healthy, everyone within their sphere of influence benefits.  And I want to be a part of that.
I also have a particular passion for working with Christian clients and couples, because when Christians are emotionally healthy and well grounded, it brings out the best in their faith — a faith that is meant to have a transformative impact in the world, for the good of others.  A faith that doesn’t run away from hard things or hard-to-love people, but embraces the call to love others, to endure despite suffering, and to invest in the well-being of one’s community.  LA is a city that is at once full of potential, full of need, and full of beauty, if we have the eyes to see it.  I want to help the people of LA live beautiful and meaningful lives that are a blessing to others and that enrich the place where we all live.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would do a lot of eating, that’s for sure. We’d start in Arcadia and Temple City for some awesome Asian food (May Mei, President Thai, Cloverleaf Bakery, 101 Noodle, and Golden Deli), get some treats from Urth Caffe in Pasadena, and do brunch and mimosas at the Alcove Café in Los Feliz. For a nice dinner we’d go to Gjelina in Venice, and if it was Christmas time we’d walk around the area and see the holiday lights on the canals. We’d do some hiking in Sierra Madre, hit up Monsieur Crepe for lunch, and grab some fresh orange-blossom ice cream afterwards at Mother Moo.  We’d head to the coast and check out the tide pools at Leo Carillo State Beach, or walk the serene boardwalk down to Crystal Cove. And for a uniquely quirky LA experience, we’d go somewhere you couldn’t find anywhere else (the Bunny Museum in Altadena, anyone?). I love that we will never run out of places to explore here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This shoutout is dedicated to all the everyday hardworking people who bring life to this city behind the scenes, and who have poured themselves into making this a place worth staying. I’m grateful to be able to call LA home.

Website: rachelengels.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marriagenerd/

Facebook: The Marriage Nerd Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3245946475710648

Youtube: @marriedtotheindustry

Image Credits
The Light Committee Misty Jeanine Photography

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