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Reina M. Michelle

Reina M. Michelle

LMFT
16 years of experience
Direct
Solution oriented
Empowering
Virtual

Welcome! I am Reina Michelle, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in helping people who are going through difficult times in their lives. I help by being a good listener and teaching communication skills that can make a big difference in improving their relationships with others. I also am experienced in working with people who have anxiety, depression, chronic illness and mood disorders as I have been certified in DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) treatment. Sometimes we need a little help when life becomes too difficult to handle on our own. Looking at our problems from a different perspective can make a difference in becoming able to live harmoniously with our family and friends. I have a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from JFK University in San Jose, CA. I live in Santa Cruz, CA, and have worked with clients throughout Northern California for over 15 years.

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

In our first session we will discuss the issues that bring you to therapy and your family history in order to understand your goals for treatment. Empathy for my clients and offering different ways to look at your issues with the utmost respect for your feelings about the situation is what you will receive from me.

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

I enjoy working with people to help them to better communicate with each other in order to improve their relationships and live happier lives. I come from a mindfulness background and teach Buddhist meditation skills to my clients. I also have special training and am certificated in DBT to better help people who have mood disorders, anxiety, and depression. Working with people who have relationship problems using Gottman and Emotionally Focused Therapy is my specialty. Having the ability to listen carefully to people and respond in a helpful manner in order to help clients address their particular needs in a way that brings about change is my goal. I look forward to doing this for you.

About Reina M. Michelle

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Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Daialectical Behavior (DBT)

I have completed an extensive training course and have earned certification in DBT. It was originally designed for Borderline Personality patients and then was redesigned to help people with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and many other problems because it is so effective.

Gottman method

I received training from my master's program at JFK University in Campbell, CA, and have used this method for many years to help individuals and couples improve their relationships. There are helpful skills that can be taught and if used assist in teaching better ways to communicate with each other.

Attachment-based

I received additional training from my master's program at JFK University in Campbell, CA. to help people with issues resulting from attachment disorder from childhood where there was a lack of connection between parent and child relationships that has caused problems throughout life.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I use CBT when it is beneficial for the client. CBT is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behavior) all interact together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior. It is useful in helping people with many kinds of problems such as anxiety, depression, and many others.

Person-centered (Rogerian)

This treatment style uses empathy to guide the person to become whole. It is a supportive and caring model that builds trust and acceptance.