Are you a high achiever who is great at getting things done, but not great at connecting with your feelings? Or maybe you're struggling with your relationship. You're committed to your spouse, but you realize you've got a wall up and you're not sure how to bring it down. I enjoy helping high achievers work to reduce anxiety and perfectionism, and deepen connections with the people they love. I am a licensed counselor in the states of GA and FL, and am a CPCS in the state of GA which qualifies me to supervise other counselors. I am trained in Gottman Method for couples (through level 3) and additionally trained in helping couples recover from affairs. I am also certified in EMDR, a trauma therapy, ERP, DBT and more. My clients know me as someone who will help them take a nonjudgmental approach to their situation, connect with deep needs that they have long ignored, and work to strengthen emotional connections in their lives.

My desire is to come alongside you during life transitions, relationship issues and stressful times to provide a supportive and caring environment that assists you in dealing with life's difficulties. I work with women, adolescents and families struggling with anxiety, depression, addictions, faith-based issues, stress management, trauma, childhood sexual abuse, grief and relationship problems.

Throughout my career I have worked in forensic settings, community mental health, and private practice. I have experience working with serious mental health, sex addiction, trauma, betrayal, and grief. I am a licensed mental health therapist in the State of Washington. I earned a doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University in 2018.

Currently, I work with adults who are facing death and non-death losses. Those who are trying to navigate the complexity of relationships and the grief process. I believe we all experience change and loss by virtue of being in this world and in relationships. Transition, loss, and the experience of grief will affect every person through various moment in life. I strive to understand each person’s unique experience with these transitions. At times, these changes and losses are unexpected and can throw us off track or render us feeling hopeless. I have a keen interest in how we construct meaning life, especially in the wake of loss and transition.
I enjoy working with people seeking ways to adapt, thrive, and create meaning within themselves, while coping with losses including death, loss of relationships, illness, and many other life transitions and/or ambiguous losses.

My primary goal in the therapeutic process is to actively assist you in reaching a better understanding of the underlying conflicts and meaning around your situation by helping you gain some objective distance around your concern in relation to your larger context. Self-awareness alone has positive effects. I believe change is possible through this kind of understanding and acceptance of oneself.

Life can get overwhelming sometimes, and everyone has an opinion on how you should manage it. No matter what you’re dealing with, someone always suggests a quick fix— anxiety: “just calm down;” depression: “just be happy;” or disordered eating: “just eat.” The reality is, if it were that simple, we would all be perfect people and never struggle with anything in our entire lives. That’s just not human nature. So if that’s not the answer, how do we grow and change? How do we resolve the deepest, most wounded parts of ourselves?

There’s a quote by Christine Langley-Obaugh that I love, which says, “We repeat what we don’t repair.” We have to sit with those uncomfortable parts of ourselves—our anxiety, depression, disordered eating, grief—and figure out when and why it showed up. What is it trying to tell us about ourselves and our experience?

That’s what the therapeutic space is for. We put other pieces of our lives on hold for an hour, to sit and listen and process. From there, we can establish a different way for the brain and body to communicate with one another; a way that allows for expression without overwhelm. It’s a process that can take some time, but it is oh so worth it.

I am a trauma therapist practicing EMDR in the Rochester, NY area, and provide telehealth in all of New York State. I live by the principle of “more curiosity, less judgement” driving empathy and understanding into my work. I aim to create a welcoming and open therapeutic space for clients to safely explore and regain their sense of self. I believe that therapy should be authentic and transparent, and I strive to partner with clients so that they may be the experts in their treatment and feel empowered. I have been a social worker in Rochester, NY for about 8 years. I first started working with adults with developmental disabilities as a behavior intervention specialist which fueled my love for psychology and understanding human behavior in our various contexts. I specialize in working with adults and couples with relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, and trauma. I am here for you and would be honored to partner with you in your healing journey!

After years in another career, I chose to retrain for helping others through mental health challenges. Trauma counseling and marriage and family therapy were areas of focus for me. Life experience, good training, and expert supervision combine to enable me to be effective with a wide range of mental health concerns. My clinical experience includes working a year with men in substance addictions and their families.

How do I view mental health? We are all impacted by the systems of which we are a part (family, friends, work, neighborhood, etc.). Trauma can have a long-lasting impact on our lives. We are all spiritual beings, regardless of which faith system we endorse. Everyone's struggles make sense and are a produce of what happened to them and the choices they made.

Your mental health challenges probably impact every area of your life. Let me help you make sense of them and find ways to flourish in life. I am accepting new clients (individuals, couples, and families) for in-person and virtual sessions.

You have arrived at this place wanting to explore deeper meanings of life, perhaps gain control over things that seem in disarray, or wish to make an internal shift to a place of peace, well-being, strength, and inner harmony. Pursuing therapy is a courageous decision. Whatever the challenges may be, I am happy to journey with you on this path of healing, overcoming, and anchoring. The counseling space that I offer will enable you to lean into your inner wisdom, strengths, skills, and capabilities.

I am a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor with over two decades of work experience in the mental health field. My work experience in the US and India has included weaving the intersectionality of equity, health, justice, and healing as an individual, a community, and a world.

A curious fact about me, which perhaps is rare, is that I worked in the corporate sector for ten years in leading technology companies before my immersion into the development and mental health field! The diverse background allows me to relate to a wide variety of people from all professions, backgrounds, and milieu.

I also speak several South Asian languages, including Hindi, Kannada, and Tulu.

In my work thus far, I have advocated for survivors of domestic violence and other forms of victimization alongside mental health counseling with trauma-informed approaches and mindfulness practices. Furthermore, I also worked as a counselor in a college setting, working closely with students and their families.

I weave person-centered therapy with holistic mindfulness approaches to healing and trauma-informed therapeutic interventions. As a clinician, I aim to support my clients in uncovering their own answers and their own truth, which offers access to their innate capacity for not merely healing but thriving!

I believe it is an honor to work with you. The work you do with me will be aimed at revealing a more authentic, happier, and healthier you! I look forward to meeting with you on your journey of overcoming.

As a therapist, Michelle is committed to supporting her clients as they identify the changes they would like to make. With your personal goals in mind, she will work with you to discover the best positive solutions to the challenges you are facing. Michelle believes that counseling is not just about talking out problems and crisis issues, but about building self-confidence, resilience, and meaning.