A little about me:

I received Masters in Counseling Psychology from Lewis and Clark College during that time I also completed a yearlong internship with Domestic Violence Resource Center where I worked with clients ranging in age from 6 to 50 with a myriad of different challenges.   In 2003 I received my certification in Professional Coaching from the Center for Coach Training and studied with Diana Sterling in the Parent as Coach approach in 2005-2006.

Beyond my formal education I have learned a great deal throughout my life.   As a child I remember being curious about people and questioning why they did what they did or reacted the way they reacted.  My mother tells me that at a very young age I would talk to her about life and how I thought it worked.

Spirituality as also been a source of inquiry for me as I grew and life became more complicated my search for meaning grew also.  I was raised primarily under the influence of Buddhist doctrine, as my mother was a practicing Buddhist.  However, I was also baptized Catholic and had a father that was a practicing Catholic so I was influenced by this as well.  These two very different belief systems lead me down a road of inquiry into religion and its relationship to culture and sense of knowing and connectedness.

As a clinician I bring all of this into my practice.  Of course we can’t help that, we all bring all aspects of ourselves to the meeting place.  I believe that I was born curious, no matter what it is that I am looking into at the time I find myself asking questions:  “Why do we do what we do?”  “Who says we have to do that way? “ “Does it work or should it be revised?”

As human beings we are innately creative, not only in painting or singing or acting but also in the creating of our lives.  Sometimes though, through our own personal journeys we take on the creativity or expectations of others and find our-selves down the road feeling imbalanced or struggling to  “live up to” some unconscious assumption about where we should be or what we should be doing.

I realize it takes great courage as well as curiosity to change as well as to process and untangle some of life’s situations.  As a clinician I will challenge you and I may even give you homework.  I will ask questions, and shine lights on some area’s that may need to be looked at. But, I am well qualified to hold space for you in that process.  I may push but gently,  and I may just hold the space for you to be where you need to be in the moment.

So if your curious and just want to check it out give me a call and let’s chat.

I offer free 30-minute sessions to see if this is a good fit for both of us.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Michelle