I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision and am an ACS approved supervisor. I am the Assistant Dean of the School of Counseling at Richmont Graduate University. I am a CSAT and work extensively with sexual identity issues, sexual addiction issues, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. I specialize in working with men within the LGBTQ+ community, men in mixed orientation marriages, and men who experienced childhood sexual abuse.

I have been supporting parents in every job or role I’ve had in adulthood whether I knew it at the time or not. My clinical work began working with teenagers in the inpatient setting. I noticed that there would be times where patients would become stable while in the hospital and then we would discharge them, only for them to return a short time later. I realized we needed to be working with the family as a whole. Then I began working with younger children, thinking if I intercepted my clients at a younger age, I could potentially prevent the struggles I saw on the inpatient unit. I slowly worked my way down in age, working in the infant and early childhood realm in mental health care. One day, I had a lightbulb moment. I noticed a trend in all of these settings: the most important and impactful work is done with parents. Most mental health difficulties in children (and even many adults!) can be traced back to early childhood. Those experiences either tend to help or hinder our roles as parents.

I have a diverse professional and personal background which allows me a unique perspective. I love earning the trust of my clients and walking through those things in life that have led us into the people we become. Whether sensitively processing to trauma, or tackling unintentional habits, I take great care to prioritize the clients’ goals and collaboration is key! I work with individuals, couples and families on issues ranging anxiety, depression, parenting, marriage, or other relationships issues, and life transitions.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over seven years of experience working with children, teens, and parents. "Enter into children's play and you will find the place where their minds, hearts, and souls meet." -Virginia Axline. I specialize in Child-Centered Play Therapy, a developmentally appropriate treatment modality for children that utilizes their natural mode of communication, play. I also utilize Expressive Arts, Family Systems, Strength-Based, and CBT.
I work primarily with children, teens, and young adults experiencing stress and anxiety, executive functioning deficits, identity confusion, mood disorders, grief and loss, and life adjustment challenges (i.e. separation/divorce). By providing a safe, non-judgmental environment, clients can effectively express, explore, and process their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I believe every client is equipped with a unique set of strengths and skills that can help them overcome adversity. By helping clients rework negative perceptions of events in their lives or of themselves, clients can move to a more regulated state.

Trauma has a way of disconnecting us from ourselves and others. And if you’re anything like my clients, that sense of disconnection feels impossible to shake. When they first start therapy, my clients feel dissatisfied and disoriented with where they find themselves. They struggle to trust themselves. They feel stuck in self-criticism and people-pleasing. They feel alone, longing for genuine connection belonging. And they feel broken. Like my clients, you deserve to untangle yourself from the trauma and harm you’ve endured. You deserve to feel at home within yourself. To feel authentic connection in your relationships. To feel free.

I love working with adults navigating life after trauma who feel chronically disconnected because I’ve been there. As a survivor of complex trauma, I get it on a level I just couldn’t without living through it. I’ve climbed out of the valleys of despair and hopelessness, and I know it’s possible to reclaim your voice, experience restoration, and thrive.

I believe connection is the catalyst to healing. I also believe we as humans are hardwired to heal. Sometimes we simply need a compassionate witness to guide us back to ourselves and help us find a meaningful path forward. My hope is that our work together will honor the uniqueness of your story and empower you to rediscover the goodness you already possess.

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.

Dr. Bilka tailors her therapeutic approach to fit each client’s unique needs. She integrates several therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, EMDR and relational techniques to provide comprehensive and dynamic treatment. Dr. Bilka’s clinical interests include gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/questioning issues, adolescent and adult life transitions, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse. She specializes in treating teenagers and young adults dealing with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma. Dr. Bilka is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which has been proven highly effective for the treatment of trauma as well as with many other issues. She incorporates warmth, empathy, humor and insight-oriented methods into her practice. Dr. Bilka views the therapeutic process as a collaborative one in which the therapist offers understanding and support, providing the client with the space to develop a deeper understanding of his or her self and the courage to work toward change.

I have been a practicing therapist since graduating from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta Georgia since 2013. I work with individuals as well as couples in a private practice setting based out of a local church in Douglasville, Ga. As a therapist I have experience working with with Anxiety, Depression, Co-dependence, Relational difficulties. I also do Pre-marital using Prepare-Enrich as well as Marriage Counseling. I love my work and I consider it a privilege to walk along side those who are willing to come sit and share with me.

Hi, thanks for reading my Bio! I've been a psychologist now for 30 years. Over that time, I've helped more than 10,000 people. This is my 3rd career - I started as a Domino's Pizza manager, then a computer programmer for IBM. I became a psychologist after seeing my own psychologist during a difficult divorce. I learned so much from that experience that I knew it was right for me - so I went back to school. I've also completed 90% of a post doctoral certificate in neuropsychology.

I find that most people I work with are interested in one of two kinds of therapy. First, some people are interested in problem solving / solution focused therapy - finding solutions to life's many problems. I use brain science and the design of human beings to develop creative shortcuts to these problems. I've created my own names for them, such as the 'what else' technique, or reverse psychologizing yourself, or the 3 P's of grieving, or the 'outside the box' technique.

Other people want to understand themselves at a deep level. Perhaps they find themselves making the same mistakes in life. Or they wonder 'how did I get here?' The want to understand their personality structure and to make deep, long lasting changes - to become, not necessarily happier, but more successful and satisfied with life. During this process, I describe what I consider to be 'the ultimate in mental health.'

And now you know ... The rest of the story!

Salima received her Bachelors degree from Georgia State University in Early Childhood Education. While teaching, she recognized the importance of mental health for both the child and the family. She wanted to transition to a career where she would have the opportunity to focus on the mental health of others. She obtained her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Mercer University. During her program, Salima spent time at Manna Treatment, where she gained experience working with eating disorders in the PHP and IOP programs. She also had the opportunity to work with children, teens, and adults for various issues such as divorce, depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health concerns.

In addition to her internship experience, Salima also worked for Kate’s Club, where she lead grief groups for school-aged children who recently lost a family member or loved one. Salima enjoys seeing her clients progress and meet their personal goals and works with them to help foster mentally and emotionally healthy lives.