Michelle offers a safe, collaborative and compassionate counseling environment to help clients navigate the various stages of life. She also has a heart to help her clients through the unexpected events of life such as crisis, trauma, stress, abuse, adjustment to unexpected changes, anxiety, grief and loss.
Michelle encourages clients to draw on God's grace and strength in their lives while equipping them with practical tools and strategies. Michelle believes that true contentment and peace comes through Christ (Phil 4:6-7). Sometimes life gets in the way of that peace and the counseling environment can provide the understanding, individualized support and wisdom that can help you to "get unstuck" entering into a place of peace despite the circumstances. This process of deeper healing and growth can result in freedom to live out a purpose that is unique to the shape of your heart.
Michelle has over 28 years of experience working in a variety of settings (Community based counseling, Baker Act receiving facility, medical hospital, church based, & private practice). She is also a Florida State registered Qualified Supervisor of registered mental health counselor interns. She finds joy in supervising, training & encouraging other counselors. Michelle's specialties include interventions for: anxiety, depression, adjustment to life events, crisis counseling, trauma, relationship counseling, family counseling, stress management, life transitions, self understanding, self worth, finding direction and meaning.
Michelle's qualifications include:
Founder/Executive Director of Heart Peace Counseling Center
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
Qualified Supervisor of Mental Health Counselor Interns & Qualified Supervisor of Marriage and Family Therapist Interns
Certified EMDR Therapist, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)
Level 1 Trained IFS Therapist
TCK Therapist Training (Third Culture Kid/MK)
Michelle has observed healing and growth in clients who have incorporated EMDR therapy in conjuction with traditional therapy as well as where traditional therapy has fallen short for them. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured evidenced-based therapy that encourages the client to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (visual, auditory or tactile), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. EMDR can be integrated and used in conjunction with traditional therapies as well. The Flash Technique is a an additional EMDR option with less focus on the traumatic material. A.R.T. Therapy takes it to the next level using more emotional regulation, more directed protocols and less access directly with traumatic material. Both EMDR and A.R.T. are powerful and empirically based therapies to help you get resolution for areas you feel stuck.
Michelle enjoys incorporating Sand Tray therapy as well to help clients express their emotions or pain when they don't have the words. It can also provide a useful visual for clients who want to express where they see themselves now and where they would like to see themselves grow in the future.
Michelle's education includes:
Master of Arts in Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Central Florida
Associate of Arts in Music Education from Polk Community College
Michelle has spoken at various Christian retreats, seminars and community events. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). Michelle has completed Elijah House Prayer Counseling training and Theophostic prayer counseling training.
Michelle is a worshipper at heart who finds deep joy in the intersection of faith, family, and personal growth. Whether she is reading through the Bible, playing the drums, or immersing herself in nature, she believes that living a life of peace and wholeness is a journey best shared with others.
Her diverse passions include: Continuous Learning - She is a life long learner and obsessive fan of leadership books and serves in beta reading/developmental editing for Story Sanctum; Creative Order: You can often find her watching professional organizing videos or finding rhythm behind a drum kit; and Connection - She loves spending time in solitude with God as well as time connecting with her friends and family, pets (especially Greyhounds and cats!), and embarking on fun adventures or meaningful collaborations with her Heart Peace teammates.
Michelle believes that enjoying your purpose alongside people you love—within a warm, authentic, Spirit-filled environment—is contagious