About

Hello, my name is Michaela and I am so happy to have you here.

For nearly 20 years, my background in mental health services has been working in an acute care setting, using clinical western medicine modalities such as "talk therapy” as a primary form of treatment. In more recent years, I have become drawn to working with the body+mind+heart+soul to understand and improve human functioning, thus incorporating more holistic teachings into my clinical work.

I believe that "talk"therapy is important, but alone it is not enough.

As a trauma informed therapist, I pay mindful attention to how the body responds to interactions and how it wants to express what it is holding onto. Because we feel with our body (feelings being the language of our body) we need to become aware of the body's felt senses and gently+compassionately bring understanding, acceptance and love and into treatment. When we do, the nervous system can return to a state of safety+coherence, giving you more capacity to live in the present and to live with less stress, limitations and fears.

I hold a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington and I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). I am a Diplomat of Comprehensive Energy Psychology, a certified Lifespan Integration therapist, trained in EMDR, CIMBS and IFS therapy and I am a certified Social+Emotional intelligence coach.