Michaela Spangenburg
I am a clinical psychologist who specializes in helping families and individuals work through and overcome chronic, and often intergenerational trauma. This can manifest in individuals as PTSD, personality disorders, chronic depressive or anxiety issues. Fear of abandonment, rejection, or chronic feelings of worthlessness and disempowerment are often at the heart of these patterns and can lead to recurrent conflict within relationships, family, household, social situations, or at work. Many people do not recognize that the experiences that haunt them or continue to play out in their lives over and over again are trauma. Trauma does not mean you are broken, or a victim. It means that you developed skills that helped you survive challenges, but that what helped you survive before may not be helpful now - and you can learn new ways of thinking and acting.My approach focuses on helping clients better understand these patterns with insight and compassion while developing healthier ways of relating to themselves and others. My training includes extensive doctoral-level education in assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment. This allows me to take a comprehensive, whole-person approach when helping clients better understand their struggles from a new perspective. Through this approach I consider personality structure, environment, and biology through a lens informed by relevant research and empirical data.
First session
The first session is an opportunity for us to begin building a collaborative and trusting therapeutic relationship. Therapy is not something that is “done to” you — it is a process we work through together, combining your lived experience and self-knowledge with my clinical training and outside perspective. During our first session, we will discuss what has brought you to therapy, the challenges you are experiencing, and what you hope to gain from the process. I will ask questions to better understand your history, relationships, strengths, and current stressors, but there is no pressure to share everything immediately. We will move at a pace that feels productive, manageable, and respectful of your comfort level. Research and clinical experience demonstrate that compelling people to recount traumatic experiences before they are ready can do more harm than good. You remain in control of what you choose to disclose at every session, and you will never be forced to discuss anything you are not comfortable sharing. Many clients also have understandable concerns about confidentiality and the therapy process itself. We will discuss these topics during our first session so you have a clear understanding of what to expect and there are no unwelcome surprises. My aim is not simply to assign labels or focus only on symptoms, but to develop a deeper understanding of the emotional experiences, coping strategies, and relational patterns that may be contributing to your current difficulties. Together, we will begin identifying goals and developing an approach tailored to your individual needs, values, and circumstances. We will also establish a consistent treatment schedule that works realistically within the existing flow of your life. I strive to create a therapeutic environment that feels thoughtful, supportive, and collaborative — one where you feel heard, appropriately challenged, and actively involved in your own growth and healing process.
Strengths
One of my greatest strengths as a psychologist is helping clients recognize and understand patterns that may feel confusing, overwhelming, or deeply ingrained. Often, people know something is not working in their lives or relationships, but struggle to understand why they continue to feel stuck despite insight, effort, or motivation to change. I bring a balance of clinical depth, compassion, and directness to therapy. My approach is thoughtful and insight-oriented while also remaining practical and grounded in real-world application. I strive to help clients better understand not only their symptoms, but the underlying emotional experiences, beliefs, and survival strategies contributing to them. Clients often appreciate that I can hold space for difficult emotions without judgment while also helping them identify concrete ways to move forward. My goal is to create a therapeutic environment that feels safe, collaborative, and empowering — one where meaningful and lasting change becomes possible.
Ideal clients
You are the expert on your own life, experiences, and pain. At the same time, living in the trenches of your own experiences can make it difficult to maintain the outside perspective needed to recognize patterns, process difficult emotions, and develop lasting solutions. That is where therapy can help. Many people do not realize that the experiences continuing to impact their relationships, emotions, and day-to-day lives may be rooted in trauma. Trauma does not mean you are broken or weak. Often, it means you developed ways of thinking, feeling, or surviving that helped you endure difficult circumstances — even if those same strategies are no longer serving you in the present. My role is to help you better understand those patterns with compassion and clarity, while building healthier and more effective ways of coping, relating, and moving forward. I work best with clients who are open to self-reflection, motivated for growth, and interested in gaining deeper insight into themselves and their experiences. At this time, I welcome clients throughout Indiana who reside outside of Lake, Porter, La Porte, Newton, and Jasper counties.
Location
Virtual sessions