Michelle Shegda, M.A.
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist & Associate Clinical Professional COUNSELOR

Do you ever feel disconnected—from your partner, your family, or even yourself? Maybe you’re stuck in the same arguments over and over, or you shut down when things get hard. You might look like you’ve got it all together on the outside, but inside, you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, or just feeling alone in it all. Whether it’s tension at home, past wounds that still hurt, or the constant pressure to keep everything together, it’s easy to feel stuck and unsure how to move forward.

I work with teens, couples, and families to help you break out of those frustrating patterns—like miscommunication, emotional shutdowns, or reactive outbursts. Together, we’ll uncover what’s underneath those responses, often linked to stress, trauma, or early relationship experiences. My approach blends several powerful methods—including Internal Family Systems (IFS), attachment theory, and the Gottman Method—to help you better understand your emotions, communicate more clearly, and build stronger, more connected relationships.

In our sessions, you can expect a mix of honest conversation, hands-on tools, and experiments designed to help you try something new and see what shifts. I might guide you through grounding techniques, breathwork, or simple movements that help your body process emotions—not just your mind. We’ll explore the beliefs that fuel anxiety, perfectionism, or conflict and start rewriting the story.

I show up as a real person—direct, compassionate, and ready to explore what’s working and what’s not. Therapy with me isn’t about fixing you—it’s about helping you understand yourself, take action, and grow. You’ll leave sessions not only with insight but with clear steps you can apply in everyday life. My work is trauma-informed and culturally responsive, and I’ll always meet you with honesty, curiosity, and respect.

This is your space to experiment, explore, and evolve—on your terms.

Working with Michelle is like stepping into a space where depth meets movement—where every part of the self, no matter how fragmented, is welcomed with compassion and clarity. Known for her ability to tune in deeply, Michelle helps individuals, couples, teens, and families navigate complex emotional landscapes through evidence-based practices like The Gottman Method, CBT and DBT, alongside the healing power of Internal Family Systems- Informed Therapy and somatic modalities such as yoga and mindful movement. Her sessions are often described as grounding yet catalytic—she meets clients where they are, helping them move through trauma, grief, obsessive-compulsive patterns, and body image struggles with both tenderness and structured support. Whether someone is working through the impacts of sexual abuse, navigating life transitions like menopause or recovery milestones, or rebuilding after addiction, Michelle offers a steady, attuned presence.

Her work resonates most with those craving change, action, and movement. Whether your goal is rediscovering your identity, creating healthier relationships, and or resilience in your recovery. Clients in open or non-traditional relationship structures, teens navigating substance use concerns or eating disorders, and justice-impacted individuals find Michelle’s nonjudgmental and trauma-informed approach deeply validating. She has a unique gift for supporting high-achieving personalities who wrestle with perfectionism and codependency, often illuminating how early attachment dynamics still shape present-day challenges. Whether someone is confronting eating disorders, exploring couples therapy, or seeking healing in the wake of addiction, Michelle invites them to reconnect with their bodies, their values, and their inner strength. In her presence, therapy becomes not just a tool for coping—but a catalyst for authentic, embodied transformation.

Michelle embodies Flourish Mindset’s core values of curiosity and collaboration in her work with clients . In her clinical practice, she actively works to decolonize mental health by naming the systems that shape our suffering: white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, sexism, and body oppression. She supports clients in seeing their symptoms not as personal failures but as survival responses to systemic harm. Using somatic therapy, yoga, and parts work (IFS), she helps clients reclaim their bodies as sites of wisdom and resistance, not control. 

More Than Just My Work:

• I am a twin to a brother, an experience that has deeply shaped my understanding of gender constructs, individuality and self-worth. Growing up as a twin has given me a unique lens on identity, authenticity, and carving out my own distinct path.

• I am a marathon runner who finds clarity, resilience, and healing in the discipline of distance running. Training for marathons has taught me the power of endurance — not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. Running is my moving meditation, a practice that mirrors life’s ebbs and flows, and keeps me grounded in my own growth.

• I am a student of dance and embrace the joy and playfulness of learning something entirely new. Stepping into tap dancing as an adult has reminded me of the beauty in being a beginner again — of making space for creativity, laughter, and the rhythmic connection between body and sound.