Michelle Goodwater, LMHC
Skilled, compassionate counseling for emotional challenges
Book with MichelleWorks with
How Michelle works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LMHC
- Licensed in
- Washington
- Years in practice
- 7
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Michelle
Michelle Goodwater is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) based in Washington. She brings seven years of clinical experience to sessions and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, anger, depression, grief, and relationship or intimacy concerns. Her manner is warm and interactive, and she aims to make therapy a respectful, straightforward process.
Michelle uses practical, evidence-informed methods to help people change unhelpful patterns. She draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Client-Centered approaches to match techniques to each person’s needs.
Background and approach
Sessions often include learning skills for emotion regulation, changing thought patterns, and clarifying values. Trauma-related work is part of her background, and she also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) when appropriate. Michelle helps people who are coping with life changes, career strain, sleep problems, compassion fatigue, and complex feelings such as guilt, shame, or emptiness.
She takes a nonjudgmental stance and avoids stigmatizing labels. Treatment plans are tailored to the individual. Michelle will talk through goals, try different strategies, and adjust approaches based on what helps most.
Therapy sessions aim to teach skills that people can use between meetings. To begin, a short matching questionnaire and scheduling step are used so clients can book sessions at convenient times. Sessions may occur by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging depending on preference and needs.
What Michelle works with
Everything Michelle lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Michelle's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Cancer
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Michelle lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and take actions that align with their values. It is often useful for managing anxiety, stress, and problems that come with life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing patterns of thinking and behavior that contribute to depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. It is often action-oriented and skill-based. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-informed method sometimes used to reduce the emotional intensity of distressing memories and related symptoms.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and try methods that fit those needs. Decisions about techniques are made together and can change as progress is reviewed.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let people have a more personal face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging work for shorter check-ins, coaching-style support, and for people who prefer typing to speaking. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and to continue care when travel or relocation would make in-person visits difficult.
Questions people ask about Michelle
What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleeping problems, career issues, bipolar symptoms, and trauma-related challenges among other issues.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is warm and interactive. She combines ACT, CBT, DBT, client-centered techniques, and other methods to teach skills and clarify values.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has seven years of experience working as a therapist with a range of concerns and clinical presentations.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a licensed mental health counselor, LMHC, licensed in Washington State and practices from Washington.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available with this therapist?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.