Grief Counseling

Psychodrama Training

– Online and in person one on one sessions

Michelle has an accepting and non judgmental approach that makes her clients feel comfortable and safe.  In addition to being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Michelle is a Certified Hypnotherapist and  a 500 hour registered Yoga instructor.  She is successfully able to integrate the grounding concepts of yoga and breath work into her counseling sessions.  With a strong background in mindfulness, Michelle takes a strength based approach to help her clients achieve their own individual goals.

Michelle is committed to helping those who are experiencing grief at any point in their lives.  She believes grief has no timeline and that we have the potential for growth following the loss of a loved one.  She has taken additional certifications in grief education and end of life care which enables her to provide bereavement support.

Michelle can be your guide in identifying barriers and taking the steps to achieve desired goals and outcomes.

https://www.michellegegwich.com

Grief Education and Support Individual and Group Settings Telehealth and In-person

Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York and Connecticut

Yoga Meditation and Mindfulness Instructor with over 30 years experience

Pet therapy and Hospice Volunteer

I provide both in-person and Telehealth (online) services.

For Grief Counseling: I support those who are experiencing grief related to the loss of a loved one(spouse/parent/friend/perinatal), a pet, a job, health, and relationship/marriage loss.

Trauma, Stress, Anxiety and Depression Therapy, as well as Couple, Infidelity and Divorce Counseling are other areas of specialty I provide services for.

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I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, registered with the State of New York. I provide Online Therapy (NYS residents only) and In-Person counseling services in a comfortable, confidential and supportive atmosphere. My office is conveniently located in Stony Brook, NY 11790 and is easily accessible from many highways.

In my private practice, I work with individuals/couples. Some areas of expertise I work with individuals include: anxiety, depression, stress management, abuse/trauma, PTSD, Grief & Loss, eating disorders, low-self esteem, bullying (past/present), and long-term illnesses such as auto immune diseases and cancer.

For couples, I help couples work through marriage conflict related to: trust and commitment, communication, conflict resolution, loss of connection, intimacy and healing after infidelity. For those seeking divorce, I also provide supportive divorce counseling services.

With over 25+ years of clinical experience as a Social Worker, I have successfully helped many, from ages 17 thru 65+ year olds. I work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues due to past and/or current life experiences. I incorporate a highly personalized approach tailored to each individual and couple’s needs.

I provide an eclectic approach, taking into account the whole person, including spirituality, ethnicity, and culture. I am an outside of the box thinker which provides a unique and individual approach to addressing life’s challenges that are affecting you. I also incorporate a Whole Person Centered Therapy and a Strengths Perspective to areas I am trained in that include: Trauma and Abuse Counseling, Gottman Therapy, Grief Counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Establishing and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries, and Conflict Resolution.

My training is in Social Work and I have extensive post-graduate trainings and certificates in the following:

(1) The Gottman Method:
– Level 1 and 2 trained
– “The Couple’s Chasm”
– “Marriage Counseling”
– “Treating Affairs and Trauma”

(2) David Kessler’s Grief and Loss Trainings:
– Certified and Approved Grief Educator and Counselor
– “Healing Grief and Loss”
– “Finding Meaning, The Sixth Stage of Grief”

(3) Columbia University:
– Columbia University School of Social Work – Practice Focused Training in Prolonged Grief Disorder Treatment
– Columbia University School of Social Work – Practice Focused Training in Complicated Grief Treatment

(4) Trauma and Abuse
– Trained in Trauma and Abuse by Janine Fischer
– Trained in Trauma Treatment by Bessle A. van der Kolk
– Trained in Understanding Trauma by Dr. Gabor Matê

(5) Anxiety and Depression Reduction Techniques

(6) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

(7) Acceptance Commitment Therapy

(8) Establishing and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries in Relationships

I combine a variety of evidence-based approaches in my practice, so you can experience the latest and most effective therapies that lead to individual growth and healing. My training focuses on Positive Psychology, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, while also integrating my certified training in the Gottman Method, Columbia University’s PGDT (Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy) and David Kessler’s certification as a Grief Educator and Counselor.

I truly appreciate and am honored to have the opportunity to work with individuals and couples struggling with overwhelming realities of life experiences. My belief is that one can heal from all aspects of life, no matter how difficult the journey. Healing from grief will require self-compassion, kindness, acceptance, and empathy for self, and I’m committed to those who choose to walk their healing journey out with me. Together we will look for ways to heal your heart while honoring your loved one and respecting your core beliefs & boundaries.