Focus: Trauma, Eating disorders, anxiety disorders; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, perfectionism; Depression; young adults; life transitions.

Biography: Dr. Hollyn Michaels is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist whose academic research focused on adult attachment and interpersonal trauma. During her clinical training Dr. Michaels received advanced training in treating complex trauma and uses a phase-based approach which has the goal of building regulation skills before moving into deeper narrative processing work. She also has extensive experience treating eating disorders, trauma, anxiety disorders, and depression in a wide range of settings including Residential Treatment Centers, Inpatient Hospital, and Partial Hospitalization Programs.

Dr. Michaels approaches therapy from a relational framework and utilizes evidenced based practices including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) in her work with clients. The belief that “people make sense” is central to Dr. Michaels’ understanding of clients. Specifically, that people’s current symptoms, unhelpful behaviors, and relational patterns make sense given the context in which they originally developed and at one point in time they helped an individual survive. She believes the relationship built between her and her clients is fundamental to creating change and works to foster a safe and nonjudgmental atmosphere. Dr. Michaels views therapy as a collaborative process and walks alongside her clients to empower them to break old patterns and find the freedom to move toward their values again.