Michelle Hemm

Michelle Valenciano Hemm LPC-S. I believe that people have the ability to heal and are doing the best they can. I help clients clarify their goals and find the inner strength to face their issues. My particular strength lies in working with individuals who are dealing with trauma, substance abuse, and mood disorders.

My approach

I utilize a variety of approaches and choose according to the individual need but frequently use Cognitive Processing and DBT.

My focus

My preference is to work with individuals ages 15 +. My strengths are working with women and girls but am not opposed to working with males who I find are a good fit with my approach.

My communication style

The feedback that I receive from clients is that I am easy to connect with and they appreciate that I am interactive and provide feedback. I am direct and will challenge clients when necessary.

My journey to mental healthcare

I grew up seeing a lot of my peers and family members get involved in substance use and abuse and began to see that many of them had pre-existing mental health issues. My goal is to help stop the suffering of mental illness and to teach them that there is a way forward, there is hope. The rewards of my career are not instant but my choice is reinforced when I see the light bulb go off for someone or when I hear from an old client about how I positively impacted their lives.

My goals for you

I encourage clients to determine what they are ready to address in their lives. Based on the information collected, I present areas in need of work and will then collaborate to begin where the individual is ready to begin.

My first session with you

During the first session, I inform clients that I will be gathering information that will allow me to help the client develop a plan. While collecting information I am also establishing rapport with the client.