About Michelle
Hello! I am Michelle, owner and founder of Bounce Mental Health! I am an Autistic queer therapist that gets to engage in my special interest every day by working in the mental health field. My drive to always learn more has kept me engaged and involved within the mental health field for nearly 15 years now. I love learning, talking, exploring and discussing mental health with anyone who will listen to me. On my own journey, I have discovered my own neurodivergence and Autism much later in life. I consider myself a self-identified Autistic and believe that diagnosis is an individual choice that one can make based on a lot of factors. I am a very proud queer Autistic woman. I thoroughly enjoy working with other neurodivergent folx because I love connecting with other's experiences and being able to hold sacred spaces for others. We are all just humans trying to figure it out. Let's do that together!
TL:DR Version
I am someone who:
has lived experience with being Autistic
identifies as neuroqueer
supports self-diagnosis, late diagnosis, or medical diagnosis
has over 15 years experience in the mental health field
gets to talk about mental health all day, it is a special interest!
My values
I strongly believe that addressing social justice issues are critical to ethical mental health care; therapy is political. I approach this in my work by continuously and consistently educating myself on the impacts of racism, ableism, homophobia, and all other forms of discrimination on the people around me. I engage in cultural humility which includes de-centering whiteness and de-colonizing practices in my work with clients and by supporting anti-oppression, anti-carceral and anti-racist operations to help insure that each person I see feels safe and seen. Belonging to and being among the LGBTQIA+ community, I understand the complexities of mental health struggles they face. I also embrace sex positivity, polyamory/ alternative relationship styles, am alternative lifestyle and kink informed, embrace body positivity in all aspects, and always stay curious and open to my client's life styles.
TL:DR Version
Michelle is
LGBTQIA+ affirming
sex positive, BDSM and kink affirming
polyamorous and alternative relationship styles
body positive and fat affirming
Anti-racist
Anti-ableist
Anti-carceral
My radical approach to therapy
My goal is to make therapy as safe and affirming as possible for my clients. You have to feel safe and connected with your therapist for it to be a good place for you to grow. I have a very adaptable style that allows me to meet you where you are at in your healing and customize your treatment to fit you. I offer the warmth and understanding that you seek in a therapist while offering practical and solution focused strategies to keep you moving towards your goals. We are on this journey together!
My approach looks and feels different from other therapy models or experiences with other therapists that you may have had. Befriending our nervous systems is the key to understanding and dealing with things like anxiety, meltdowns, frustration and many other symptoms. Our bodies often get stuck in fight/flight or freeze and we get stuck there with no information or skills to get us out. Talk therapy, CBT, DBT and other therapy models are not a one size fits all. Neurodivergent folx have different needs in therapy that these methods might not be able to support. I use techniques that help you understand what is going on and how you can influence change in your life. This is beneficial to those who have tried talk therapy before and it didn't work or people who struggle with communication in therapy.
TL:DR Version
Finds a match of techniques that meet the client's unique needs
Uses nervous system based approaches to managing symptoms
Uses somatic work to help sustain and deepen recovery
Warm, curious and compassionate approach
Uses education to help deepen personal understanding
Solution focused
Social justice and human rights lens
Contact us
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