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Meet Michelle (she/her)

Personal: 

I have lived in Seattle, Washington my entire life and while I do enjoy the sun - rain may be my favorite weather. In the beginning this love stemmed from the way the rainy season mirrored my own depression, sometimes you feel less alone when there is something outside of you that matches what you are feeling. Now the rain, wind, and storms stand as reminders that we are always changing. I also love the excuse to stay inside and listen to the sounds of wind, thunderstorms, and rain along the roof. Sun sometimes creates a pressure to "enjoy it", rain is more forgiving.

 

 In my free time I like to read, try new crafts (eventually one will stick), explore cultures through food, share this food with family and friends, travel, and spend time at home with my husband and cat. My guilty pleasure is re-watching movies that are so bad they are good.

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​Career: 

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Substance Use Disorder Professional, Certified Nutritionist, and Certified Yoga teacher.  I have been working as a counselor in various capacities for 14-years, with a focus around chronic depression, complex trauma and PTSD.

 

People often comment on my educational background because I carry quite a few titles - and while my first response is often a joke about having more letters for scrabble - the real reason is that mental health isn't contained to just emotions, to just the brain. You aren't a symptom, an acronym or disorder, or something broken that must be fixed - you are a human being that is already on the pathway to healing in seeking therapy. You are the expert in your history, culture, identity, mind, body, etc. As a therapist I am always striving to be an educated guide as we work to eliminate barriers, manage and treat symptoms, and process the past to move towards a future that feels exciting.

 

If you feel like we would be a good fit, please let me know a good time to talk on the phone. I would be happy to answer your questions, because no matter what you choose - you are already choosing yourself. 

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Philosophy on Healing

 Human beings have a tremendous ability to survive and adapt. Where this tends to create problems is when we are placed in situations or environments that are not healthy, supportive, or are dangerous. This along with the reality that it is in our nature to seek comfort over happiness, can keep us moving towards things that we have become used to instead of what is safe. In these spaces we can become rooted in behaviors and patterns that made sense for a time, but no longer serve the person we are striving to become.

 

In my own life and through my work with those recovering from complex trauma I've found that healing starts when you finally move away from summaries and judgements about "what's wrong with me?" and move towards the larger theme of "what's happened to me?". Once we make it there - therapy becomes an exploration of reconnecting, challenging beliefs, connecting with the body, balancing the nervous system, challenging the mirrors that we use to see ourselves, and healing.

Education and Certifications

Bastyr University

Master of Science, Nutrition and Clinical Health Psychology

University of Washington

Bachelor of Science, Psychology​

Bellevue College

Alcohol and Drug Studies​​​​

 

  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor

  • Substance Use Dependency Professional

  • Certified Clinical Trauma Professional: Level 2

  • Lifespan Integration: Level 1

  • Certified Nutritionist

  • Certified Yoga Teacher

  • Trauma Informed Yoga Teaching

 

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