Michelle MacPherson, Psychotherapist.
M.S.W., L.C.S.W
About Me
For more than twenty‐five years, I’ve helped adults move through mid‐life challenges—whether related to depression, anxiety, relationship stress and break-ups, substance misuse or the natural shifts that come with aging. My goal is to ensure you feel supported, understood, and empowered to create meaningful, lasting change. My clients generally feel "stuck" and are seeking help in improving their mood, their relationships and their feelings of being overwhelmed.
Valued Directions is a psychotherapy private practice dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable, and accessible video and tele-health therapy services to adults navigating transitional life stressors.
I help my clients develop a tool box of coping skills to take into their day to day lives based on a personalized assessment of need. I am best suited to working with adults over 30 years of age, who are looking for greater insight and understanding of their interpersonal dynamics. I am highly effective in helping adults manage self-sabotaging behaviors and developing more effective coping skills to maximize therapeutic gains.
My therapeutic style is solution‐focused, goal‐oriented, compassionate, and deeply client‐centered. Together, we focus on uncovering practical paths forward rather than staying stuck in the problem itself.
Background
Completing her education in Australia, Michelle began her career in London, England with the Youth Justice Board, before moving to California and working for the UCSD Department of Psychiatry, United States Department of Defense and Veteran's Affairs.
"One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is seeing clients set meaningful, value-driven goals and achieving them. That's why I partner with you to ensure you are empowered to reach your full potential. As you work through life's transitions, I will be there to guide, encourage, and challenge you to push past obstacles and create the life you want!"
Expertise
Through ongoing professional development, Michelle stays updated with the advancements in therapeutic techniques and evidence-based practices. Her expertise includes trauma-informed care, mindfulness-based therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and cognitive-behavioral interventions.
Restoring clients to a state of physical, mental and emotional health is the most rewarding aspect of her practice and she relies heavily on the latest advances in behavioral science to ensure clients continue to receive the best therapeutic services available.
Michelle is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities and will work with you to select the most appropriate and therapeutically beneficial approach for your needs.
"In our work, we may focus on strengthening distress tolerance, improving emotional regulation, enhancing interpersonal effectiveness, and reconnecting with what matters most to you. You’ll leave sessions with insight, direction, and strategies you can use right away—not just talk".
Qualifications
Licensure
Michelle is board certified and licensed in California and North Carolina.
* Licensed Clinical Social Worker, California Board of Behavioral Sciences, 2011
#LCSW 27999
* Licensed Clinical Social Worker, NC Social Work Certification and Licensing Board, 2024
#C017672
Therapeutic Approaches & Techniques
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps my clients build a more meaningful and satisfying life by cultivating psychological flexibility. ACT acknowledges that difficult emotions are an inevitable part of the human experience. Rather than avoiding or suppressing these emotions, I guide clients in learning how to accept them as part of their journey. ACT empowers my clients to make choices that reflect who they want to be, rather than being driven by transient emotional states. This approach helps us reconnect with meaning, build resilience, and move toward a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): My clients find this therapeutic approach the most helpful when learning to develop coping mechanisms for navigating difficult and stressful life situations. This approach is especially effective for clients seeking practical tools to manage emotional intensity, interpersonal challenges, and distressing experiences. By focusing on these core skill areas, we can begin to feel more in control of our day-to-day responses to stressors.
C.B.T. is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and that changing one can help improve the others. It's a practical, goal-oriented approach that helps my clients and I focus on changing negative and unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. CBT can lead to significant improvements in mood, anxiety levels, and overall mental well-being. I’ve been using CBT in my practice for the past 25 years. It’s helped hundreds of clients challenge recurring thoughts and manage their anxiety. We’ll use CBT to recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. We’ll then use that knowledge to change your thinking patterns, which will help you lead a less anxious and stressed life.
I'm solution‑focused, goal‑oriented, compassionate, and client‑centered. I work collaboratively to identify practical steps forward so we don’t stay stuck in the problem itself. Together, we’ll clarify what’s getting in the way and build tools that help you feel more grounded, capable and aligned with your values.
Michelle when she's not in the office.......
Life is all about balance! I look forward to partnering with you and helping you move towards your "happy place".
When I'm not in my office, you can often find
me out exploring on 2 wheels.