Meet Michelle Taylor

Michelle Taylor is a bilingual (Spanish/English) Registered Professional Clinical Counselor Intern #2018. She received her M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Walden University. She received her B.A. In Spanish from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. She is supervised by the Licensed Psychologist, Albert Knapp, Psy.D., BCBA-D (PSY 25873).

Michelle has over 15 years experience working with adults, children and adolescents. She was also a high school Spanish teacher, coach, and dorm parent for 10 years, working with multicultural families and adolescents to achieve academic and athletic success. She was the 2012 McNealy Teacher of the Year, 2013 Monterey County Coach of the Year.

Michelle has a passion for multiculturalism, including each person’s unique experience in the therapy process. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, religion, shame, sexuality and sex, socioeconomic struggles, relationship, academic and social difficulties.

Michelle uses an eclectic style of therapy, individualized for each client, mostly using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Strengths-based methods, challenging thoughts, feelings and behaviors that hold us back from achieving our best selves. Michelle’s experience in the classroom, and on sport’s courts has given her valuable experiences leading individuals through their highs and lows in life. She is creative in therapy, and has a realistic optimism that allows her clients to make daily progress; yet, she prepares and anticipates those days when clients do not make the progress they hoped. On these kinds of days, Michelle teaches clients to have more compassion for themselves, freeing them from their internal obstacles.

Michelle received training in psychodynamic therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Michelle is also certified in Seeking Safety and Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Michelle is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT), and the California Association of Licensed Professional Counselors (CALPCC).