Michelle Rathburn’s clinical training and experience includes working with children, adolescents and teenagers experiencing various emotional and behavioral issues. While pursuing her graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Seattle Pacific University, Michelle worked at Compass Health, a non-profit organization in the state of Washington that provides counseling and support services to individuals of all ages. At Compass, she offered parenting education and coaching, counseled children and families experiencing divorce, trauma, parent-child separation, and issues related to drug abuse, foster care, and juvenile justice.
She also obtained valuable experience in an outpatient women’s health practice where she provided therapy to women experiencing depression, relational conflict and life stage transitions. Michelle consulted with the medical team to offer patients an integrated approach to their healthcare. With a certification in Medical Family Therapy (MDFT), she is trained to collaborate with health care professionals and support individuals and families as they face and navigate illness and its implications.
As a therapist, Michelle is committed to supporting her clients as they identify the changes they would like make in their lives. With your personal goals in mind, she will work with you to discover the best positive solutions to the challenges you are facing. Michelle believes that counseling is not just about talking out problems and crisis issues, but about building self-confidence, courage and meaning. Her therapeutic approach is drawn from Family Systems Theory as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Her specializations include:
Depression
Communication Issues
Parenting
Divorce
Separation
New Parents
Life Stage Transitions
Relocation Adjustment
Michelle grew up in southern California, and several moves later, she is happy to call Georgia her home. She knows first hand, the stress involved with job relocation and the emotional effect it has on those involved. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, running, and exploring the southeast and experiencing all that it has to offer.
She is a graduate of The University of San Diego where she received her B.A. in Psychology.