01 · Who Michelle works with

Michelle works with addictions, LGBT and relationship issues

Michelle lists 15 specialisms and 13 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Michelle chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Michelle's own words

What Michelle says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Welcome! My name is Michelle and I am a licensed professional counselor in Washington, DC. I have over 18 years of experience working in the mental health field. The majority of my work has been in nonprofit, community-based settings providing direct services and counseling to individuals living with life challenges such as severe and persistent mental illness (depression, anxiety, delusional and bipolar disorders), unemployment, substance abuse, trauma, chronic homelessness, self-esteem, relationship and family issues, among other challenges. My experience with such a diverse population has allowed me to build a skill set that enables me to connect closely with those with whom I work. I also have extensive experience working with those fleeing domestic violence, formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as those exiting the foster care system.

I work from a strength-based perspective using a client-centered, holistic approach that encompasses relevant cultural aspects. When applicable, I will use an integrative approach that includes evidence-based techniques such as those found in solution-focused counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy; trauma-focused therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing. Above all, I promote self-care and am able to explore creative ways to establish a self-care plan that is best for you. I have also completed TREM training for women (Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model) and training in providing trauma-informed care. I believe that while I provide the framework, treatment is driven by you. Joining you where you are in that moment is the best way to determine your path to healing. This encompasses your lifestyle choices as well as your unique cultural experiences.

My counseling style is warm, open, and approachable. It is my belief that our collaborative effort is key to making the progress you desire. If you are ready to take the next step in healing, self-discovery, and empowerment, my door is open.

I look forward to beginning our work together.

Michelle Durham, on the BetterHelp listing · read 10 Oct 2026

03 · How Michelle works

The 7 approaches Michelle lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Michelle lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Michelle's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Michelle runs a session.

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyACT

Rather than trying to argue a painful thought away, ACT works on loosening its grip and getting on with what matters to you anyway. Sessions spend real time naming your values, then building action around them while difficult feelings are still present.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Narrative Therapy

Treats the story you tell about your life as something that can be examined and retold rather than as the plain facts. Separates the person from the problem - “the anxiety” rather than “your anxiety” - to make room for the parts the current story leaves out.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

Trauma-Focused TherapyTF-CBT · trauma-informed

CBT adapted for people whose difficulty is rooted in a frightening or overwhelming event. Pacing is the point: safety and stabilisation come first, the memory itself is approached gradually and only when you are ready, and the aim is that recalling it stops hijacking the present.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Michelle practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Michelle's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Michelle at this point.

2. Naming Michelle specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Michelle is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Michelle.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Michelle

Built from what Michelle actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Michelle's - Michelle has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 19 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LPC

Licensed in

District of Columbia

Licence

DC LPC PRC14964

Licence number

PRC14964

Licence expires

31 Jan 2027

NPI

1578101523

Years in practice

19

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

9 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Michelle's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 10 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Michelle. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.