About Rachel

Rachel DiBella is a licensed therapist, organizational psychologist, leader, and facilitator dedicated to helping people and professional organizations thrive in their pursuit of growth, belonging, and transformation. With a practice committed to authentic collaboration, Rachel has sought for nearly two decades to ensure that all those who engage in services feel supported, informed and empowered.

In addition to her therapy practice, Rachel leads initiatives to support leaders, teams, and organizations in being more cohesive, equitable, and oriented to belonging. Beyond this work, Rachel has held faculty roles teaching group therapy and sociology, and currently teaches Attachment Theory in the Advanced Clinical Certificate Program at the Boston College School of Social Work.

Rachel has extensive experience conducting group facilitation, program implementation and evaluation, strategic planning, organizational assessment, and leadership development consultation and training.

Rachel holds a non-clinical Doctor of Psychology in organizational and leadership psychology from William James College, where she conducted research as a doctoral fellow in the Center for Global and Multicultural Mental Health.

With an MSW and LICSW in Boston, Rachel is licensed to practice psychotherapy in Massachusetts.

Recent speaking & Presentations

  • Attachment-Based Leadership Development: Shaping Secure Leaders in Uncertain Times | Boston College | 2025

  • “Prevention in Action: Using Bystander Intervention to Promote Gender Equity & Inclusion among Leaders” | Poster Session | NASPA Strategies Conference January 2020

  • “Using Primary Prevention to Increase Equity & Inclusion” | Poster Session | Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Conference | Harvard University | 2019

  • Moderator, “How Data Drives Change” Leadership Panel | Harvard Hears You: Summit for Gender Equity | Harvard University | April 2, 2019

  • "Bringing Social Movements into the Classroom in the Age of #metoo | Center for Teaching Excellence | Boston, MA | May 7, 2018

  • Being Better Bystanders in the Workplace | Questrom School of Business Diversity & Inclusion Summit | Boston University | April 21, 2018

  • "Justice through Faith: from #metoo to #blacklivesmatter" | United Church of Christ | Bedford, MA | April 4, 2018

  • Response as Prevention: Effective Resources for Sexual Harassment & Assault | NWSA Women's Centers Committee | Baltimore, MD | November 15, 2017

contact racheldibellalicsw@gmail.com to request a complete curriculum vitae

Education

 

degrees

  • Doctor of Psychology | William James College

  • Master of Social Work | Boston College | Dean's Leadership Award

  • Bachelor of Arts in English | Framingham State University | summa cum laude

Licensing & Additional Studies

  • Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker | Massachusetts | No. 120923

  • Project Management Essentials | Boston College | 2018

  • Graduate Studies | Women's Health & Human Rights | Suffolk University

  • International Studies | University of Westminster | London, England, UK

Clinical training

  • Fenway Community Health | Behavioral Health | Psychotherapy

  • Newton Wellesley Hospital | Domestic & Sexual Violence Program

learn more about Rachel’s professional experience at linkedin.com/in/racheldibella

awards & Affiliations

  • Doctoral Fellow | Center for Multicultural and Global Mental Health | 2020-2024

  • Member | Boston Facilitators Roundtable | 2020-

  • Division of Student Affairs | Best Program Evaluation | 2017

  • Excellence in Service Award | Boston College | 2015

  • Dean's Leadership Award | Boston College | 2014

  • Betsy Harter Scholarship Award for Departmental Excellence | 2007

  • Brown University Book Award for Writing | 2004

news & press

published Pieces

Attachment-Based Leadership Development: A Model for Shaping Secure Leaders. Dissertation. William James College. Newton, MA. ProQuest. Manuscript available upon request.

“How Can We Use Social Work Values To Guide Our Actions Online?” (Social Work Voice Magazine, July 2019. National Association of Social Workers. Boston, MA