Michelle Stevens
Hi there, I’m Michelle. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Virginia, Maine, Vermont and California. I'm also a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider (PMH-C) and specialize in working with adult women who are going through infertility, are pregnant, in the
My work focuses on adult women who are trying to get pregnant, currently pregnant, or in the postpartum period.
postpartum period who are experiencing depression or anxiety, or are dealing with birth trauma. I also work with individuals who are dealing with trauma and chronic pain from conditions such as endometriosis, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - just to name a few. I’m passionate about helping clients feel empowered and becoming more comfortable with advocating for themselves and their needs.
First session
In our first session, we'll complete an initial assessment, talk about goals and make sure we are a good fit for one another. We'll be able to get to know each other a little better and I'll be able to answer any questions that you may have. The first session isn't really therapy as much as it is an information gathering session, but I try to make it as painless as possible.
Strengths
My biggest strengths are cultivating a safe therapeutic environment, developing a realistic plan for progress, and offering clients deeper insight into their feelings and behaviors. It is important to me that I'm able to normalize the experiences my clients are having so that they feel less alone.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are adult women who are in the perinatal period (pregnant or postpartum), or adult women who are going through fertility treatments, grief and loss from miscarriages, or have experienced birth trauma or terminated a pregnant for medical reasons. My clients are often dealing with issues related to role transitions, parenting, communication, and family dynamics. They decide they're ready for therapy once they've committed to developing healthy coping skills, improving their relationships, and are on a path to reclaiming their confidence.
Treatment methods
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that I use in my practice to reprocess traumatic memories, shame, and anxiety with the goal of minimizing distress over time. EMDR helps clients work through overwhelming distress that feels "stuck" and manage their daily lives better while reducing trigger responses.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
I treat clients diagnosed with PTSD with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which is an evidence-based treatment that targets symptoms and unhelpful thinking patterns that are a direct result of the experienced trauma. CPT is generally short-term (9-15 sessions) and can reduce the avoidance and re-experiencing that are markers of a PTSD diagnosis.
Interpersonal
I utilize Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) to help perinatal clients improve functioning and alleviate symptoms associated with depression. Clients who can benefit from IPT are experiencing postpartum depression and difficulty adjusting to role transitions, grief & loss, or interpersonal disputes.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I help clients recognize unhelpful/unhealthy thought patterns and we explore how to reframe and challenge those ideas. We work together to develop healthier self-talk, effective communication skills, and overall self-kindness. Many clients need support navigating the pitfalls of postpartum anxiety, depression, and trauma that interfere with their daily lives. CBT can be adapted to fit most client preferences and is extremely helpful in reducing suffering.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
White
Woman
Top specialties
Fertility & Reproduction Issues
Perinatal Mental Health
Postpartum
Other specialties
Anxiety
Chronic Illness
Depression
First Responders/Healthcare Workers
Life Transitions
Self Esteem
Trauma and PTSD
Women's Issues
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Individual Therapy
Woman
Doesn't specialize in
Couples Counseling
Eating Disorders
Family Therapy
Gambling Addiction
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Personality Disorders
Recent Hospitalization
Sex Addiction
Licensed in
CaliforniaLicense 115286
MaineLicense MF7716
VermontLicense 100.0134433
VirginiaLicense 0717002639