Christian Counseling

I am Michelle Vanness, a licensed marriage and family therapist. I have over 25 years of welcoming individuals (adolescents, adults) and couples who are seeking to create change in their lives. As a grateful believer, I use my faith, coupled with different therapeutic approaches, primarily Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Informed Therapy, to help clients find freedom, healing, and wholeness in their lives. I interweave other therapeutic approaches like DBT, ACT, and EMDR with the Bible to help clients on their journey. My approach My primary approach is rooted in Faith-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based approach that focuses on helping clients understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected so that they can begin to make targeted change. As trauma-informed therapists, we take a journey to pull back the layers of present challenges in order to release painful past experiences to re-engage with themselves, family, and loved ones to find healing and freedom and experience meaningful connections. My focus Many of my clients bring in emotional pain, whether the symptoms of anxiety and depression are taking a daily toll, relationships feel unbalanced and disconnected, or stress and self-criticism are impacting performance at home, school, or work. My communication style I focus on ensuring that my clients see real progress: my style is interactive and non-judgmental, and I position clients as the experts on where they are now and where they want to go. I am sensitive to the influence of past experiences on present challenges and work closely with clients to reframe the narrative of their life in a way that increases self-confidence, compassion, and meaningful connections. My goals for you I am a guide on this journey with the client to help them understand their physical response, distorted thinking, and emotional reactions to external/internal life stressors. We learn coping skills, challenge disordered thinking, and problem-solve ways to introduce moments of calmness and learn to choose to respond rather than react in the face of stress and change. My first session with you My first priority in starting with a new client is ensuring that they feel safe, heard, and like an equal partner in the therapeutic process. As a seasoned telehealth provider, I offer the convenience of remote sessions to help make therapy a core component of their self-care calendar.