Michelle Goodwater , LMHC

Michelle Goodwater is a licensed mental health counselor in Washington with more than seven years of experience supporting people through a wide range of life challenges. As an LMHC - which stands for Licensed Mental Health Counselor - she has worked with individuals affected by combat trauma, military sexual trauma, childhood abuse and childhood sexual abuse, rape, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, career transitions, sleep disturbances, grief, traumatic brain injury, OCD, and ADHD. She has also assisted many people who have experienced physical or emotional abuse.

Her therapeutic style is warm and interactive, grounded in respect, sensitivity, and compassion. She does not rely on stigmatizing labels and instead focuses on understanding each person as an individual. Her approach blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with humanistic, psychodynamic, and solution-focused methods, allowing her to tailor conversations and treatment plans to each client s unique needs and goals.

Michelle aims to create a collaborative environment where clients feel empowered to make meaningful changes. She recognizes that seeking help takes courage and strength, and she offers steady support to guide clients toward more fulfilling lives. Michelle looks forward to partnering with those who are ready to take the next step toward healing and growth.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Michelle integrates several evidence-informed approaches into her online practice to meet diverse needs. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people clarify their values, accept difficult thoughts and feelings, and take committed steps toward a meaningful life - it can be useful for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, offering practical tools to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and to improve sleep and daily functioning. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused approach aimed at processing distressing memories and reducing their emotional impact, which can help people who have experienced abuse or other traumatic events.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and Michelle works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best fit their goals, preferences, and needs. She adapts techniques over time as progress is made and as priorities shift.

Online therapy with Michelle is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexibility and access for different schedules and comfort levels. These options allow continuity of care for people managing busy lives, mobility limitations, or geographic constraints, and make it easier to maintain regular sessions as healing progresses.