About Michelle Butman Collins, LICSW

Therapist in Wakefield, MA

Offering Therapy and Immigration Evaluations in MA, CT & VT

Therapy in Wakefield, MA

You are probably finding it daunting to find the best therapist for you right now, but please do not let the tangle of the mental health system slow you down from getting the help you need! Yet how do you find someone you can trust to help you open up and enjoy your life again?

I became a therapist because I have seen how much great information is available to people and yet how hard it is to get the right help into the hands of the people who need it most. I pursued a social work degree because it integrates an individual’s internal experiences with their external environment, as we are all a true product of our environments. Through all of my trainings and experiences, both personally and professionally, I have developed a style that blends science- and evidence-backed interventions with a softer, experiential-based approach.

What does this mean for you? Depending on your needs, we will flow between addressing concrete matters (like helping you sleep better) with more flexible concepts (such as improving your relationships with guilt and fear). Formally, my approaches are grounded in Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems and I incorporate principles from CBT, DBT, mindfulness and more. My background and initial training as a science geek informs much of my thinking and I have always loved the concept of getting ideas from the lab into real life.

My specialties include working with young adults and young professionals (you get to define young!) as well as college/graduate students, adults and caregivers. Many clients come to me because they are feeling disappointed and frustrated that they are not enjoying a period of their life that they expected to feel better. While we may not be able to change some of the external demands on you, I am confident we can find ways for you to thrive within your circumstances.

Immigration Evaluations in Massachusetts, Connecticut & Vermont

I am a United States-trained clinician independently licensed to practice clinical social work in MA, CT and via telehealth in VT. I have a passion for supporting individuals and families to pursue the immigration pathways available to them in the United States. I have completed dozens of effective mental health assessments for families seeking immigration-related relief. I have developed a reputation with lawyers for thorough evaluations, high quality expert testimony and I receive regular feedback from clients that my kindness and gentleness help make the process as easy as possible.​

I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Studies in Neuroscience from Boston University and completed my Master's in Social Work with a concentration in Health & Mental Health at the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. I was trained in the medical and psychiatric evaluation of asylum seekers by the Massachusetts General Hospital Asylum Clinic and Physicians for Human Rights and I have completed additional training through the Immigration Evaluation Training Center​. I use my clinical experience from working in community mental health, municipal youth services, hospital-based and community-based outpatient care to provide thoughtful and thorough evaluations.

Click on the specialty below to learn in detail how I help as a Wakefield, MA therapist!

Therapy Services

Immigration Evaluations - For Clients

Immigration Evaluations - For Attorneys

Frequently Asked Questions about Michelle Butman Collins in Wakefield, MA

  • My formal education was initially focused on Chemistry and evolved to an undergraduate major in Neuroscience at Boston University. My interest in research has remained strong, however, I realized it was not how I wanted to spend my professional time, so I returned to school and completed my Master’s in Social Work at Boston College. My training and professional experiences have always focused on care for adolescents, young adults and adults into older age with a focus on social work values of “person in environment,” which means a keen understanding of how the world around us influences our internal experiences. Professionally, I have held positions in program development, oversight and administrative operations in community settings, interacted frequently with schools and also worked in a hospital setting. Throughout, I have held therapy relationships and now focus roughly half my professional time on therapy relationships and the other half on immigration evaluations

  • Therapy that works! Therapy is far from a one-size-fits-all approach, yet there is also something for everyone. As I build a relationship with someone in therapy, I assess their stuck points and the intervention strategies that resonate best for them. People have really different personalities, and I will encourage everyone to stretch out of their comfort sometimes to try something new when I am confident it can help. This may include integrating mindfulness and relaxation techniques, learning CBT principles, integrating DBT principles or IFS strategies. I always have a lens of Solution-Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy as I find these approaches the most respectful, flexible and effective to help clients move toward their goals.

  • It is lovely! I am very happy to be renting an office in a beautiful, collaborative space with Room for Resilience, LLC. It is a modern, well-maintained building. We are on the second floor which is elevator-accessible and the front entrance is handicap-accessible. We have a beautiful waiting area with refreshments and even desks with chargers if you have anyone waiting for you during your appointment. There is ample, free parking in our lot and we are a short walk from the Wakefield commuter rail station. We have a gender-inclusive restroom for use.