About
I'm Michelle, and I'm glad you're here
(and this is Pepper, and she's glad you're here too)
I’ve been doing this work for over a decade, and I still love it. I’ve always been curious about people and understanding their story, what makes them who they are.
Honesty and doing things the right way matter a lot to me, and that comes from somewhere personal. I grew up with a parent I couldn’t always trust to be who they said they were. It taught me a lot about what it feels like to question your own reality. It’s also a big part of why I can’t stand promises of quick fixes, or anything that overpromises and underdelivers.
My clients deal with real, hard things, and they deserve someone who actually knows what they’re doing and who recognizes there’s always more to learn. That’s why I participate in several advanced consultation teams made up of providers who are experts in their areas. I also have advanced training in adherent Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and in Prolonged Exposure (PE) for trauma.
I don’t always get it right, and that’s okay. It’s led me to this idea of Radical Acceptance in my own life – that an infinite number of things has to fall into place perfectly for any moment to be exactly as it is. Wherever you are right now makes sense. It doesn’t mean you have to stay there, but understanding how you got here is usually where we have to start.
If you’re feeling stuck or like nothing is ever going to change, I hear that a lot. What I keep finding is that there’s almost always more room to move than it feels like from where you’re standing.
I also want to be clear that oppression and discrimination are real, and they affect your mental health. Nobody should have to hide a part of themselves just to get by. All racial, cultural, and LGBTQ+ identities are welcome and affirmed here.
I’ll be honest with you. I’ll root for you. I’ll work hard to actually help.