Hey thereI I'm Michelle, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, treating Asian American adults from the ages of 18-40 in the state of California. I am a psychosomatic therapist- a fancy way to say that I treat clients through a bottom-up, somatic (mind-body connection) approach. I care a lot about helping clients reach new heights with their self-love and self-care because of how these approaches have changed me in my own life. Check out the "My treatment method" tab for more information!
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In your first session with me, you can expect me to be warm, professional, friendly, humorous, and thorough in my assessment with you. After that is where the work truly begins. We'll talk about better what it feels like to connect with your own needs, emotional regulation tools, and how your past appears in your present. Check out "My treatment method" for more details!
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Mind-body connecting and processing trauma is my thing! I absolutely love incorporating somatic approaches towards my treatment modalities with clients. It's fun, freeing, and insightful.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
If you struggle with talk therapy, are a intellectualizer, a perfectionist, a caretaker, have relationship or self-esteem issues, you are welcome here. I specialize in working with Asian American adults who wish to grow from shame, guilt, and anxiety and towards self-compassion, fulfillment and freedom.
About Michelle Shim
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VirtualMy treatment methods
EMDR
When talk therapy gets repetitive, it's usually because it is a top-down approach. It focuses on how your thoughts impact your actions. While talk therapy can be powerful, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a little different in that it is a bottom-up approach that focuses on processing past memories through bodily sensations and feelings. Interesting right? It is powerful for 'stuck' patterns and I have witnessed significant shifts in my clients' thinking through this modality. If you're an intellectualizer- someone who tends to process emotions or difficult experiences primarily through thinking, analyzing, or rationalizing- a somatic (mind-body) approach like EMDR may be helpful. Of course I can never promise results, but we can work together towards taking a step further in truly letting go of your past.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I will treat you as the expert of your own life, assuming that you are fully capable of your own growth- and that your experiences in therapy are dependent on how much you challenge yourself outside of our sessions. I never treat anyone from one lens or modality of therapy- because each individual that walks in through my doors carries their own uniqueness. We'll collaborate like a team to get you to your goals. You'll hear me reflect and mirror your own feelings and thoughts, as a way to look deeper inwards and face yourself and the best part is you won't do it alone.
Mind-body approach
I invite anyone who is motivated to create lasting changes in their relationships, perfectionism, and self-esteem. I identify strongly with being a 'mindful mover' and a firm believer that the combination of breath, self-expression and a deeper awareness of your bodily sensations and experiences leads to a more fulfilling and resilient lifestyle- more equivalent to your authentic self. My experiences as a dancer, yoga instructor, an lifelong mover have done wonders for my stress and self-care. We can learn how to build a stronger connection and relationship with your body and work towards setting boundaries, tolerating difficult emotions, and processing your past.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Though I rarely just use one type of modality, CBT is one of my favorite approaches I'll start off with, especially for those who are coming to therapy for the first time. What we'll do is identify any underlying, learned harmful beliefs about yourself and the world around you, in hopes that we can free you from them and apply healthy tools to change your thinking and actions.