Michelle Goodwill, LPC
Receiving The Life, Love, and Joy You Were Created For
About Michelle
Authentic Human Encounters
In 2016, after a fruitful 27-year business career in the insurance field, I completed a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling at the University of Phoenix, and began work that allows me to spend my days engaged in authentic human encounters. I help couples find connection, and trauma survivors to find peace in the present. I am incredibly blessed as couples and individuals allow me into the most significant parts of their lives in order to find healing.
I am a client centered therapist, trained in couple's therapy and trauma intervention. As a client-centered therapist I work to provide an environment where clients experience unconditional positive regard, feel deeply heard and understood, and move toward a more congruent experience of themselves – “To be that self which one truly is” (Soren Kierkegaard, 19th century philosopher). I am trained in two approaches, EMDR and EFCT, which I have identified as client-centered at their core - respecting individuals, their experiences, and their process of thought and emotion. Given the proper environment people do find their own unique answers, and this is a beautiful process that I have the privilege to witness.
Saint Raphael Counseling
A Powerful Archangel to Intercede
I began Saint Raphael Counseling in May 2019, with the goal of creating a counseling service that not only implemented the values of client-centered counseling principles, but which was also grounded with a spiritual compass based in Catholic Christianity. I wanted to be able to transparently draw from this beautiful and ancient tradition and that of 12-step spirituality, truths that are also evident and supported by research in the secular world. Endeavoring always, not to impose my values and beliefs onto clients, whether Catholic, non-Catholic, or non-Christian; and whether sober or not sober.
I chose the name, Saint Raphael Counseling, because of Saint Raphael’s role in the Book of Tobit in the Old Testament. He is also powerful as one of the 3 archangels – Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, who stand before the throne of God. The Archangel Raphael is an intercessor to prayer, in the life of Tobit, his son Tobias, and Sarah (who becomes Tobit’s daughter-in-law and Tobias’ wife). Saint Raphael provides protection, wise counsel, and healing to these three individuals in this beautiful biblical story. He is the perfect patron saint for a counseling office.