Our journey through life can be challenging at times. We often allow our past, present, and even future circumstances to prevent us from optimizing our journey. Whether you are a mother juggling multiple roles, a spouse feeling unappreciated, a young adult figuring out life, or a child/teen whose parents don't understand, I will work with you to identify your needs, create goals, and help you conquer emotional and behavioral challenges that arise at each stage of your journey. I provide a non-judgemental therapeutic atmosphere of confidentiality, respect, collaboration, empowerment, and healing so that we can create your desired outcomes. I believe you are worthy and capable of living the life you envision, so let's take this journey together.

I have worked in the mental health field for 10 years. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, geriatrics, and military service members. I have a vast array of skill sets and the ability to exhibit compassion and empathy with analytical thinking skills and positive rapport building. I have a background in providing services to individuals experiencing trauma, depression, anxiety, child and adolescent behavioral concerns, parenting needs, family conflict, marital and relationship conflict, addiction, risk assessments, and domestic & sexual violence.

I specialize in treating trauma, depression, anxiety, family and couple conflict, daily stressors, and mindfulness techniques. I incorporate evidence-based clinical interventions from a systemic perspective. My therapeutic approach fosters a warm, down-to-earth style in which clinical interventions will be tailored to your specific needs. 

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.

I believe that creating a warm, safe, and respectful environment is pertinent to establishing a healthy therapeutic relationship with my clients and helping them to achieve their therapy goals. I strongly believe that therapy is a collaborative process between myself and my clients with the overarching goals of improving relationships, emotional regulation, self-understanding, adjustment, and life satisfaction.

I work with children, adolescents, and adult clients through the use of individual, couples, and family therapy. I frequently incorporate the use of the Brainspotting method to help clients of various ages process through a wide range of highly stressful, activating and traumatic experiences that prevent them from fully engaging in aspects of their life. I also have been trained in Collaborative Practice; information regarding this approach to divorce can be found at www.CollabAtlanta.com.

For my adult clients, therapeutic issues typically focus on depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationship concerns, self-esteem and self-worth, communication difficulties, marital/relationship discord, and life transitions. Therapy focuses on identifying a client’s own strengths and challenges, empowering him/her to cope more effectively with life’s struggles, and improving relationships and overall functioning through insight, self-awareness, and healthy decision-making skills and coping resources.

With my children (ages 5 and older) and adolescent clients, common issues include divorce, depression, anxiety, OCD, mood dysregulation, behavioral difficulties, ADHD, family conflict, school performance issues, and social difficulties, such as peer conflict, bullying, and poor social skills in general. I believe that an important component in working with children and adolescents is the inclusion of the family, as I believe that making changes within the family system is the foundation to therapeutic progress. Family therapy typically centers on improving family communication and relationships, assisting parents in coping with their child’s emotional or behavioral issues at home, and building healthy boundaries, expectations, and family roles.

In addition to therapy, I am experienced in conducting psychological and psychoeducational evaluations. Such evaluations are a tool for identifying a client’s cognitive and academic skills, assessing for learning disabilities and developmental delays, and obtaining information regarding a client’s mental health. Evaluations can yield a wealth of information to help with treatment and educational planning and the identification of appropriate interventions.

I received my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and my M.Ed. in School Counseling from The University of Georgia. Prior to earning my doctorate, I worked as an elementary school counselor. I have been in private practice in the Atlanta area since 2006. In addition to private practice, I have been an adjunct instructor at Georgia State University with the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services and served on the board of the Division of Women and Girls for the Georgia Psychological Association.

I look forward to meeting you and the opportunity to help you address the barriers or concerns that are interfering with your happiness and ability to live life to the fullest!

"When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own the story, we can write a brave new ending." -Brené Brown.

Believing these words, I create a safe, non-judgmental, compassionate space for adult individuals, couples and families to own and process their stories, while finding meaning, healing and growth. We are dynamic people, capable of change and restoration, and it is an honor to facilitate and walk with a person through this process. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, addiction, chronic illness, marital concerns, trauma, anger management, international adjustments and transitions, infertility and adoption.

In my therapeutic approach, emotional honesty is key in owning our stories and in being able to verbalize the impact of our family histories. Learning to accept how we feel helps us own our failures and mistakes. As your therapist, I will hold space, empowering you to make courageous decisions towards hope/healing/change.

I attended Taylor University in Indiana where I received my BA in Psychology and International Studies, after which I received my MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, GA. I grew up in North Africa and Western Europe in a multi-cultural family.

Rooted in curiosity and in compassion, I offer a client-centered creative approach to personal growth, mental health and wellness. I work with a variety of individuals - tall and small, neurotypical and uniquely-wired, with- and without-chronic conditions &/or diagnoses. I offer tele-mental-health to adolescents, caregivers, transitioning adults, and folks of all ages and abilities impacted by chronic illness or condition. I am an aspiring healing artist with licenses to counsel, coach, and educate across the state of Ohio and in Florida. For more on who I am, what sorts of experience I have to offer, and areas of specialty - visit my website (www.MindfulMilestones.org) or request a 15 minutes consult.

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!

Stress just. won't. stop. and “work-life balance” seems like an impossible feat. Your stress has been building for FAR too long; you can't remember the last time you weren’t so overwhelmed or anxious. You can't stand how irritable you’ve become, especially around those you love. Your go-to de-stressors just aren't cutting it anymore - or it's a struggle to use them, and you’re growing tired of your own procrastination, rumination, and withdrawing from others. You want to be more present in your life & relationships. You want to feel like your old self again - or a new, calmer self - on a path of continued growth and success. You want more for yourself and are ready for change.

I can help by co-creating a brave & safe space and validating you - especially when it feels like no one understands. With Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), we can help you feel quick relief from prior traumas and distresses, eliminate triggers, and move forward feeling lighter and calmer. We'll rebuild coping skills for relief now & prevention later. I'll challenge you (with care), offer accountability, and use your strengths to help you meet your goals. Ideally, we'll also laugh together and connect as humans.

You're struggling now and contacting therapists only to then wait for responses is frustrating. Skip the waiting and take another step toward relief now by scheduling a brief phone consult directly on my website!

Deb came from a broken home as a child and was in a blended family in her teen years. She practiced as a licensed occupational therapist for 35 years, working with children in hospital, school and private practice settings. She returned to school for her master's in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Spirituality and Counseling. She and her husband, Craig, have been married for 42 years, and raised three children. They are expecting their first grandchild in June, 2022. Deb is a mixed media artist, and a lover of nature, gardening, travel and her cockapoo puppy, Henry Biscuit.

I exclusive specialize in child therapy for ages 3-14 years old using Child-Centered Play Therapy. I own Lily Pad Child & Adolescent Counseling in Frisco, TX.

Telemental Health
Serving clients with Trauma, Complex Trauma, PTSD, Bipolar D/O, Anxiety, Depression and Gender issues