I’m Michaela–

Accepting new clients

I provide trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+ affirming psychotherapy for teens 15+ and adults. I work with clients navigating C-PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, depression, relational wounds, attachment wounds, emotional overwhelm, and major life transitions. My approach is steady, compassionate, and collaborative, creating space for clients to better understand their patterns, reconnect with themselves, and move toward healing without shame or pressure.

What’s therapy with me like?

I would like to acknowledge first that therapy is a unique experience, because in what other setting do we set out to share some pretty personal things with a stranger? That is why I strive to create a space where you feel comfortable, accepted, and understood. A space that is about you, your needs, and when you are ready, a place you can take your guard down. That's what therapy is like with me.

My approach is personalized and comprehensive. When working with adolescents or adults, I draw from a diverse range of evidence-based methods. If acronyms are important to you, some of the methods I regularly use include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I share these in case you're seeking a specific approach. With a wide range of training in different methods, my goal is to explore with you and find what works best for you. 

Who do I work with?

I work with teens 15+ and adults who are navigating the impact of complex trauma, C-PTSD, anxiety, depression, relational wounds, attachment wounds, emotional overwhelm, and major life transitions. Many of the people I work with feel stuck in old survival patterns, disconnected from themselves, or unsure how to trust their own needs, boundaries, and emotions.

I support clients who are trying to better understand themselves, move through shame, build self-trust, and create relationships with themselves and others that feel more grounded, honest, and sustainable.

My impacting identities are:

I am a cisgender female, a mother, and a social worker. I was raised in a Christian home, but I would describe myself as more spiritual than religious. 

I have lived experience with:

LGBTQA+ community, living with chronic illness, a trauma survivor, and/or a suicide survivor,(aware, knowledgeable, part of ).

I am best fit for a client who:

Is thinking about change and ready to take a baby step by connecting to therapy.  

I am not a good fit fora client who:

Expects me to have a magical wand to make things instantly better. I wish I had a magical wand and could do that for people, but I don't. Therapy is a process, not an event, and healing takes time. 

What makes me unique?

I have worked with people who were having thoughts of suicide, thoughts of self-harm, or in a crisis for over 5 years before I became a social worker. What this means is that I don't hit a panic button if someone tells me that they are having thoughts of suicide. I understand that being human is hard; it's messy, and it can feel suffocating. I'm here to listen to your story and take that pause with you.  

Did You know:

You don't have to face whatever it is alone, and healing is possible. Think about it, when we get a cut, the blood clots, white blood cells are released to fight germs, and tissue regrows and strengthens. Our body has natural systems to help it heal, and so does our brain. Our brain is constantly processing and trying to heal. You can overcome anxiety, depression, nightmares, and get unstuck. Or at least that is the theory of Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), which is the foundational model for EMDR and I am a true believer in it, as I have done EMDR.  

Any Pets:

I have a dog named Petunia, but we like to call her Tuna, as well as two cats: Lily and Theo.   

My favorite hobbies:

In the colder months, my hobbies tend to be cozier: board games, reading, and crafting. In the warmer months, my hobbies have me outside and on the go: river floats, walks, and wind therapy aka motorcycle rides.