Profile: Hi there and welcome! My name is Michelle, and I'm glad you found your way here. Life has a way of introducing anxiety, stress, trauma and grief when we least expect it, and I'm here to help support you in returning to a place where you feel safe, self aware, and empowered. I believe we all have the capacity to be self-healers. I've worked in several realms of healing and medicine for more than 10 years, and I approach my therapeutic connections with warmth and curiosity. I lovingly encourage you to come as you are. My goal is to know you, not change you, and support whichever problems you feel ready to address with a transparent and authentic presence. I have experience working with adults, teens, groups, couples, families, and first responders and military, in managing struggles that come with depression, anxiety, panic, trauma, addiction, self acceptance and identity questioning, grief, adjustment issues, interpersonal concerns, and women's, LGBTQIA+, or BIPOC issues. We will work toward your goals using trauma-informed, mindfulness, CBT, DBT, and gestalt therapy with plenty of education along the way. Regular feedback is important to see what patterns are running the show on a subconscious level. I believe everyone deserves the chance to live their lives in their truest form, with care, respect and self-empowerment. *Currently only accepting referrals for individual therapy (18+)*

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

We'll start the process of getting to know one another and discuss what is going on in life right now that made you want to seek therapy, and what you want to get out of our time together. It's okay if you don't know this right away, we can establish goals and direction together when we meet. I encourage you to ask lots of questions, and just be yourself!

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

Establishing rapport and connection is my favorite part of this work. I lead with empathy, insight, non-judgement, and assertive compassion.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I have experience working with issues that disproportionately affect women, such as trauma, gender-based violence, and reproductive health. I have also experience working with specialized populations including female first responders (EMS, Fire, law enforcement, nursing), individuals affected by sex trafficking, substance abuse, sexual assault, child abuse, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrants, and older women. I have specialized training and certification in treatment of PTSD and trauma including A.R.T. (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), and direct experience with treatment of chronic and acute trauma, complex trauma, and developmental trauma (trauma in early childhood and its long-term effects on attachment, emotions, and behavior). I also use trauma-informed CBT, DBT, and lots of somatic work to help you learn to regulate your emotional experiences when you feel triggered. Skill building is one of my main paths to post-traumatic recovery and growth. I'm also a licensed Ayurvedic practitioner, reiki practitioner and former massage therapist which informs my holistic approach to understanding how the mind and body are always interacting with one another. Overcoming trauma is just as much a physical recovery as it is a mental one, and developing safety within your own body it's own form of self-empowerment. *Currently only accepting referrals for individual therapy (18+)*

About Michelle Settergren