Rachael Dietkus

Organizational Care Strategist & Trauma-Informed Practitioner

A session with me is like…
Having someone hold the complexity with you, without minimizing, fixing, or rushing it.

One life experience that helps me relate to my clients is…
Learning that care is both a personal need and a collective responsibility—especially in work that asks us to hold other people’s life experiences and stories.

Three things I want clients to feel post-session are…
Safer to acknowledge harm and complexity
Stronger in their ethical stance and boundaries
More capable of shaping and building the systems you need and deserve toward care

Past experience that qualifies me for this role is…
I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and design strategist with over 15 years supporting individuals and teams in healthcare, government, higher education, and civic technology. Previously, I spent nearly a decade in the nonprofit and social impact sector. My experience includes leading trauma-informed design and research practices as the first social worker at the U.S. Digital Service, where I improved disaster and healthcare services for millions of people. I’ve provided clinical supervision, reflective practice, and organizational care consultation to professionals working with trauma, moral distress, and public accountability. Through Social Workers Who Design, I help teams within mission-driven organizations apply rigorous care principles to service delivery, team culture, and decision-making under pressure.

My relevant credentials are…
– MFA, Design for Responsible Innovation / Trauma-Informed Design, University of Illinois (on pause)
– MSW, Social Work / Advocacy, Leadership & Social Change, University of Illinois, 2010
– BA, Sociology / Social Movements & Organizations, University of Illinois, 2000
– Certified Compassionate Leader, 2024
– Certified Professional in Training Management, 2024
– Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, 2020
– Social Impact & Design Entrepreneurship Certification, SVA Design for Social Innovation, 2018
– Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of Illinois, 2013