LMFT, 10 years of experience
Frequently rebooked
Hi there, I’m Michelle. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California, Maine, and Vermont. I'm also a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider (PMH-C) and specialize in working with people who are pregnant, in the postpartum period who are experiencing depression or anxiety, or people who are dealing with infertility. I also work with individuals who are dealing with chronic pain from conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I’m passionate about helping clients feel empowered and becoming more comfortable with advocating for themselves and their needs.
In our first session, we'll complete an initial assessment, talk about goals, and make sure we are a good fit for one another. We'll be able to get to know each other a little better and I'll be able to answer any questions that you may have. The first session isn't really therapy as much as it is an information gathering session, but I try to make it as painless as possible.
My biggest strengths are cultivating a safe therapeutic environment, developing a realistic plan for progress, and offering clients deeper insight into their feelings and behaviors. It is important to me that I'm able to normalize the experiences my clients are having so that they feel less alone.
I enjoy working with individuals who are committed to developing healthy coping skills, improving their relationships, and are on a path to reclaiming their confidence. My clients are often dealing with challenges related to adjustment, role transitions, or are working through establishing healthier family dynamics.
I help clients recognize unhelpful/unhealthy thought patterns and we explore how to reframe and challenge those ideas. We work together to develop healthier self-talk, effective communication skills, and overall self-kindness. Many clients need support navigating the pitfalls of postpartum anxiety, depression, and trauma that interfere with their daily lives. CBT can be adapted to fit most client preferences and is extremely helpful in reducing suffering.
EMDR is a form of psychotherapy designed to reprocess traumatic memories and minimize distress over time. I use EMDR in my practice to support clients work through trauma and manage their daily lives better.
I treat client symptoms of PTSD/trauma with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which is an evidence-based treatment that targets symptoms and unhelpful thinking patterns that are a direct result of the experienced trauma. CPT is generally short-term (9-15 sessions) and can reduce the avoidance and re-experiencing that are markers of a PTSD diagnosis.
I utilize Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) to help perinatal clients improve functioning and alleviate symptoms associated with depression. Clients who can benefit from IPT are experiencing postpartum depression and difficulty adjusting to role transitions, grief & loss, or interpersonal disputes.
1 rating with written reviews
February 13, 2025
Michelle is so easy to talk to and she really listens and provides feedback in such a positive way. Our sessions have really been helpful in changing my self talk and perspective on triggers that come up on a daily basis.