Learn more about Dr. Michelle Hastings
My Therapy Style and Approach...
Empathy, authenticity, and unconditional acceptance are the fundamental qualities I cultivate in my relationships with my clients. I try to create a safe place where you can be vulnerable and feel validated while also gaining room for self-compassion, hope, and healing. My approach to therapy is holistic, though I am drawn to attachment and person-centered theories within a multicultural and existential framework; everyone's story is different and well-lived. I strongly believe in the possibility of change, despite what we have lived or what we are currently living through.
I have 18 years of experience working with individuals with various presenting issues, including anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. I strongly resonate with the research on shame, vulnerability, and wholehearted living by Brene Brown. Esther Perel and Dan Savage are two of my "mentors" when it comes to love, sex, and relationships.
My background and experience...
I graduated from the University of MIssouri-Columbia in 2006 with a Master of Education degree from the Department of Educational, School & Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Community/Agency work. I then earned my Ph.D in Counseling Psychology in 2012 at the University of Missouri-Columbia after doing my pre-doctoral internship at the University of Texas-Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center in 2011-2012 and completed my post-doctoral supervision with Dr. Phyllis-Terry-Friedman. My dissertation and the heart of my work, for much of my career, has been deeply intertwined into attachment styles, as I believe it helps us understand how we see ourselves, how we perceive the world, and how we relate to others. I have experience in higher education as a therapist, educator, and private practice. I was pleased to serve on the executive board of the St. Louis Psychological Association from 2000-2022. I am licensed in Missouri and Colorado and certified in EMDR (Eye movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy).