I am a mental health counselor licensed in New York (LMHC), New Jersey (PC), and Florida (Telehealth only). In addition, I am an ordained rabbi with a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). The D.Min. degree is an interfaith program for clergy to enhance clergy counseling through formal mental health counseling training. My rabbinical background helps me provide additional insights to clients with mental health challenges as well clients seeking personal and spiritual growth.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Our first meeting is a "get to know you" session. I take time to get to know you, learn some of your background, and really listen to you, to hear what is on your mind and what you are seeking help for. I also explain to you a little of who I am, and what various approaches are available to you that would be most helpful. My goal is to put you at ease, and help you feel comfortable in the process, and comfortable working with me.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I am an empathetic, caring, kindhearted, attentive, and concerned individual and therapist. I want what is best for you. My goal is to provide a safe, non-judgmental, welcoming space for you to share what is on your mind and to use my extensive experience to help you with your challenges. The stresses of life can sometimes catch up with us. Having a comfortable place to discuss life's various pressures can be valuable in the pursuit of more peace in your life.
About Michele Medwin
Appointments
Virtual
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is very effective for those whose thoughts affects their emotions negatively. It is based on the understanding that what you think, affects how you feel, which affects how you behave. This is very common for people with anxiety whose minds often wonder to the "what ifs (imagining the worst)," "I am not good enough," I don't deserve to be happy," "Everyone thinks I am _____ (fill in the blank with a negative description)," etc. CBT helps you to refocus, relearn, and/or change your thoughts so you feel more positive, less anxious, more confident, and better able to face life's challenges and rewards.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems is a powerful way to help those who are suffering from trauma and complex PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Complex PTSD refers to those who were exposed to prolonged trauma, especially in childhood, from situations that include continued physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. It helps you to understand that different parts of you react to current day situations based on coping defenses you developed during the traumatic period(s). Yet, they are no longer helpful today. As you get to know those parts and why they cause you to react the way you do, the "Self," (the true you, with traits such as calmness, clarity, courage, confidence) begins to guide you instead of the parts created from trauma. I have seen this process help so many clients including those who have had years of therapy and feel stuck in their progress. It deals with the cause, rather than treating only the symptoms.
Grief Therapy
Grief and depression share a common emotion of deep-felt sadness. Grief is a normal reaction to a loss. The sadness usually lessens over time. A subset of grief is called prolonged grief. This occurs when the intense grief persists over a long period, causing ongoing problems that interfere with daily life. As a rabbi, I have extensive experience working with families who have experienced the grief the feel from loss.
Most people associate grief with the death of a loved one, but people can feel grief from other losses, such as a break up, a job loss, a move, a change in situation. This can often be misdiagnosed as clinical depression. Yet the treatment for grief is very different than the treatment for depression so it is helpful to understand the source of the deep sadness. As a therapist, I help clients sort out the sources of their sadness to help lead them on a path towards healing.
Couples Counseling
Being in a good relationship can be one of the most rewarding aspects of life. Being in a bad relationship can be one of the worst experiences and can affect everything that you do. I believe that couples find each other for a reason. Somewhere along the road, those feelings that brought them together get lost or hidden.
One of the most significant reasons that couples stop getting along is miscommunication and misunderstanding. My goal in working with couples is to help them be better communicators so they understand each other's needs and wants. Couples that are both committed to the process do very well and find more happiness in their relationship together through the process of couples counseling.
Eclectic
While there are standard treatment modalities, I have always focused on the client rather than a specific treatment. My goal as a therapist is to find the best way to help my clients become more whole and at peace with themselves. My approach may very from session to session depending on the needs of the client on that particular day.
