Michelle Schaefer

Michelle has a heart for working with women through life transitions and other issues unique to women’s reproductive events such as infertility, pregnancy or infant loss, abortion grief or shame, perinatal and perimenopausal mood disorders, birth or medical trauma, adjustment to parenting, and maternal or infant bonding. She is certified in the application of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy with perinatal trauma. She is an EMDR CIT (consultant in training) offering consultation groups and individual consultation to therapists completing foundational training hours or working towards certification. She also has an advanced certification in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International. Through her previous work and life experiences she knows that parenting can be tough at times and loves to support individuals and couples on the journey of parenting. Fathers and birthing partners are often overlooked in care settings which she believes is a flaw in the support of families during this transition. She aims to have a partner-inclusive practice in her treatment philosophy for the perinatal population, because she believes it is the best model for the flourishing of babies, parents, and the couple’s relationship. Specialty Treatment Areas: • Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, families, and individuals • Infertility • EMDR for perinatal or reproductive trauma • Pregnancy or infant loss • Perinatal mental health and the transition to parenthood • Life transitions such as emerging adulthood, career shifts, divorce, parenting, and empty nesting • Anxiety and depression Additional Treatment Areas: • Mood disorders • Family relationships and conflict • Grief and loss • Moral injury • Health or medical crisis