Dr. Michelle Selsemeyer

I am a licensed clinical psychologist who works with teens and adults dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma related concerns, life stress, and painful patterns that keep repeating. I earned my doctorate in clinical psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu, where training in a diverse setting deepened my awareness of the cultural, personal, and systemic factors that can shape mental wellness. Much of my professional background has been in high acuity inpatient psychiatric settings, where the work required strong clinical judgment, careful observation, and the ability to make sense of complicated presentations. In my work, I look beyond the most obvious symptom, notice patterns, and consider how trauma, mood, personality, stress, and life circumstances may all be affecting one another. I stay present with emotions that feel intense, overwhelming, or hard to manage, and I do not lose sight of the person underneath them.

My approach to therapy is thoughtful, practical, and focused on the full picture. We will slow things down and look at what may be happening underneath the surface, especially when emotions, relationships, past experiences, and current stressors are all playing a role. I pay close attention to what emotions are doing in the room, and when things feel intense, overwhelming, or hard to manage, we can stay with that long enough to better understand it. Therapy with me is warm, relational, and human. I build rapport easily, and when it fits, I am comfortable using humor to help make the space feel more real and approachable. Our work is collaborative, with attention to what feels most important and useful for you right now. I draw from CBT and DBT interventions to understand patterns, examine thoughts and behaviors that may be keeping things stuck, strengthen emotion regulation, and build more effective ways of coping, relating, and responding.

Starting therapy can feel vulnerable, and yes, a little awkward at first. You are talking to a stranger about parts of your life that may feel deeply personal, painful, or hard to explain. That is okay. I work to create a space where you can be yourself without feeling like you need to have it all figured out. You do not need perfect words or a neatly packaged story. In our first session, we will sort through what is going on, talk about what feels most important right now, and start identifying goals for what comes next. Reach out, and we can take the first steps together.