Effective & Caring Therapy in
Wakefield, MA
Helping Young Adults and Adults Reconnect with Purpose and Joy during Life Transitions
In-Person Therapy on the North Shore in Wakefield, MA or Online Therapy in MA, VT and CT
A trusted therapist in Wakefield, MA
Things don’t feel right
You feel like this phase of your life should be filled with excitement, or maybe even relief, but instead you find yourself feeling worried, lonely and filled with self-doubt instead. Your mind switches between chaos and emptiness. Sometimes, you fantasize about hiding from the world or somehow running away from your life entirely. You are trying harder than ever to feel grateful for what you have, yet gratitude alone is not enough to make you feel whole.
You desperately want to pour your heart out and have someone truly know how you feel, yet you shut down whenever you have a chance to share this rawness with someone else. It is embarrassing to be struggling and you worry that if anyone knew how you felt inside, they would think less of you. Asking for help feels unimaginably awkward. So instead, you find yourself tuned out and feeling like the world is spinning around you while you are stuck.
You are ready for a real change
You have started to worry that you are losing control, that this is not just a hard phase, that you might not get better on your own or that there may be something fundamentally wrong with you. You are worried you might not be able to fix it. You wonder how much longer you can go on like this. You fear you will miss out on what should be great years of your life. You are ready for a change.
My name is Michelle, I am a therapist in Wakefield, MA
I help young adults and adults who feel lost and numb rediscover meaning, purpose and connection, even during very challenging times in life. Especially during life transitions that you thought would feel easier. Together, we will get clear on how you want your life to look and feel and we will create a plan to ensure that vision becomes a reality. After therapy, you will find it easier to make decisions, you will feel more settled in relationships and you will feel better about your life overall. You will also understand how you made these important changes so that you feel equipped to get through future challenges.
I have been helping people make the changes needed to navigate tricky life transitions for nearly twenty years with compassion and thoughtfulness. If you worry that therapy will not work for you, you can trust that I am both creative and determined. I will help you find your steadiness by understanding how to work with your fears instead of scrambling to hide them from others and even from yourself. We will work together to find the pace of therapy that works best for you and we will check in often to ensure our time together is meeting your needs both in and between sessions.
I meet with individuals online or in-person in my office in Wakefield, MA. I work with people of all genders and cultures and I am strongly aware of the impact that trauma can have throughout life. I always make sure that we have room for laughter, because laughter heals and connects.
Contact me for a free consultation for therapy in Wakefield, MA
If you are ready to start living the life you desire, click below to book a free 15-minute consultation for therapy in Wakefield, MA. We will talk about what you need, how I can be of help and what to expect in the process. You do not need to wonder about what to say on our consultation call, as I will guide us through the brief steps to connect us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy in Wakefield, MA
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Research has shown again and again that the quality of the relationship with a therapist is the best predictor of success in therapy. There are certainly instances when therapeutic models matter more, but most of the time, finding someone who resonates with you is going to get you closest to what you need. You wouldn’t take advice from someone you don’t respect, so receiving guidance from a therapist you don’t trust won’t work either.
You can read more about my background and approach on my About page. We start with a (free) phone consultation so I can get a general sense of what help you are looking for and if that is something I feel prepared to provide. If not, I will refer you to a colleague who may be able to help better than me.
If we appear to be a fit, we will try it out for the first few sessions! You will likely know within a couple sessions whether or not I feel like a good fit to you.
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There is a lot of overlap, so it can certainly be confusing! While there is more nuance, a therapist is generally anyone with specialized training (usually a Master’s degree or higher as well as internships, clinical supervision and exams for licensing) in therapy. A therapist can be trained as a social worker, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist or psychologist, though this list is not exhaustive. There is a whole alphabet of acronyms to go with these titles as well!
A psychologist has received a doctorate degree, generally a PhD or a PsyD, and depending on training, may be able to do things beyond therapy, such as conduct research or do neuropsychological assessments.
We can all be trained in different forms of therapy and have professional experiences beyond formal training that influence our work.
To read more about my approach and training, check out my About page or book a free consult to discuss further!
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Absolutely! I admit that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and therapy had to move online, I was skeptical. Yet personal experience (and co-authoring a research paper on the topic) showed me and many others that online therapy can be as effective, if not more effective for most people. If you prefer face-to-face for any reason, it is always really nice to have that connection. Yet if your schedule, the commute or simply your preference is to meet online, you can trust you will get the same great outcomes.
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Yes! There are no issues like prior authorization needed for therapy with me. You do not need a recommendation from your doctor or anyone else. Wanting to feel different emotionally is enough to get started directly!
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I am what is considered an out of network provider, meaning I do not contract directly with any insurance companies at this time. You will be responsible for the full session fee (typically $180). Many insurance companies have out of network coverage and can reimburse you for a portion of this. I work with a company that helps you navigate the reimbursement process if desired.
In-person therapy in Wakefield, MA
My office is located north of Boston in Wakefield, MA, conveniently serving communities of Wakefield, Melrose, Stoneham, Saugus, Reading, Woburn, Winchester, Lynnfield, Burlington, Peabody and more.
My office suite is elevator-accessible with a comfortable waiting area, a gender-inclusive bathroom, free parking lot. It is easily accessible from I-93, I-95 and Rte. 1 and a 5-minute walk from the Wakefield commuter rail station.
Online therapy in MA, CT and VT
Unable to make it to the office? No problem – I can see you for online therapy/telehealth if you are anywhere in Massachusetts, Connecticut or Vermont.
