Dr. Michelle Hastings

I have over 20 years of experience working with individuals with various presenting issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, aging, chronic illness, grief, trauma, and the many different challenges we are given in all of the stages of our lives. I strongly resonate with the research on shame, vulnerability, and wholehearted living by Brené Brown. Esther Perel and Dan Savage are two of my "mentors" when it comes to trying to understand love, sex, and relationships.

Empathy, authenticity, and unconditional acceptance are the fundamental qualities I cultivate in my relationships with my clients. I try to create a place where you can be vulnerable, feel validated, and have space for self-compassion, hope, and healing. My approach to therapy is holistic because one "kind of therapy" or "one size fits all" will not work for everyone. We all have unique stories and lives. However, I am drawn to understanding our relationship attachment styles because they often set a blueprint for how we see ourselves, others, and the world around us. I use the attachment lens to also see within a multicultural and existential framework. I strongly believe in the possibility of change, despite what we have lived through in the past or what we are currently living through.

In our first session, we will take the time to get to know one another, and I will ask you: "If therapy is successful, how do you see your life differently than you see it today?" Finding the right therapist is a little like dating: you need the right connection and chemistry with just the right person. I want to make sure you feel cared for and get what you need from therapy. If that is not with me, I'll make sure you find that with another provider.