Michelle Halle, LCSW

People raised on love see things differently than people raised on survival

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Michelle Halle, LCSW's style

Why Michelle Halle, LCSW chose to be in the helping profession

The day I watched a TV interview with Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was the day I knew I wanted to be a therapist. During the program, she spoke openly about death, grief, and loss. As a child growing up in a community of Holocaust survivors, I was familiar with trauma and grief, and with the shadow they cast over people’s lives. The survivors I knew often suffered in silence, carrying experiences and pain that were rarely spoken about. There, on national television, was Kübler-Ross, talking openly about the unspeakable. Her work was groundbreaking, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to help people find the words to talk about their struggles and conflicts, understand their experiences, and begin to heal.

That interview stayed with me because it showed me how powerful it can be to give a voice to experiences that have been kept inside for so long. I became interested in the ways our past shapes us, sometimes in ways we do not fully understand, and how having a safe place to explore those experiences can make a difference. I wanted to create that kind of space for others, where difficult feelings and conflicts could be acknowledged rather than pushed aside. For me, being a therapist means helping people face what has been painful, make sense of their experiences, and find a way forward that feels true to who they are.

Michelle Halle, LCSW's approach

All healthy relationships are based on trust, and our therapeutic relationship will be the same. It will be a unique experience, a type of relationship found only in the therapy room. Together, we will work to understand your past and how to come to terms with it, including the experiences that may still affect the way you see yourself and relate to others. The goal is not to change what has happened, but to help you understand it and find a way to live with it that allows you to move forward. As we explore your experiences, you can begin to recognize patterns, make sense of your feelings, and develop a deeper understanding of yourself.

I believe that understanding your past can help you live more fully in the present. Therapy gives you the opportunity to look at yourself honestly, without having to hide the parts of your experience that feel uncomfortable or difficult to share. Our work will be grounded in trust, openness, and a willingness to explore what comes up, even when it is not easy. My hope is that this process will enable you to live your life in the present, fully, unapologetically, and creatively. You deserve the freedom to be yourself, rather than feel defined by what you have experienced or what others expect of you.

What you can expect from sessions with Michelle Halle, LCSW

Working with me may not always be easy. I am gentle and compassionate, but I will also challenge you while supporting you. I believe that growth sometimes requires us to look at things we would rather avoid, question familiar ways of thinking, and become more aware of the patterns that may be holding us back. I will approach this process with sensitivity and care, while also being honest with you about what I see. You will have space to explore your feelings and struggles, but I will encourage you to look deeper when I believe there is more to understand.

Both you and I are in this relationship with a single goal: to help you grow. This is something we will work toward together, with trust and openness at the center of our sessions. I do not expect change to happen overnight, and I understand that growth can bring up difficult feelings along the way. My role is to support you through that process, helping you recognize your strengths while also making room to address the things that are painful or difficult. I want our work to help you develop a greater understanding of yourself and feel more comfortable living in a way that reflects who you truly are.

Michelle Halle, LCSW's experience working with the Jewish community

I have lived, worked, and played in the Jewish community all my life. My roots are strong, but I also know what it feels like to stand on shaky ground. Being part of a community does not mean that we always feel secure in our place within it, or that we never struggle with questions about who we are and where we belong. I know how important it is to feel attached to ourselves and to our community, and how difficult it can be when that sense of connection feels uncertain. We all need to belong, but I believe that belonging begins with our relationship with ourselves.

You belong to yourself first. When you can fully accept and embrace yourself, you can begin to feel more comfortable in different settings and in your relationships with others. You do not have to give up parts of yourself to find a place in your community, nor do you have to feel that you must fit into a particular mold to be accepted. My experience in the Jewish community has given me an understanding of how important connection, identity, and belonging can be, as well as how personal and complicated these experiences can feel. My role is to help you develop that sense of connection with yourself, so that you can feel more grounded in who you are and more comfortable wherever life takes you.

Michelle Halle, LCSW's Book Recommendation Zone

• Complex PTSD; from Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker
  A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma
• It Didn't Start with You by Mark Walynn
  It Didn’t Start With You and its companion, The Official It Didn't Start with You Workbook, provide a groundbreaking approach to transforming traumatic legacies passed down in families over generations, by an acclaimed expert in the field
• Running on Empty by Jonice Webb
  This informative guide helps you identify and heal from childhood emotional neglect so you can be more connected and emotionally present in your life.

Approaches

• Attachment-based
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Psychoanalytic Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy

Concerns

• Alzheimer's
• Obesity
• Parenting
• Relationships
• Religious Identity Issues
• Sexual health & dysfunction
• Transitions & Change
• Trauma

22 years in practice

Licenses

• LCSW

Degrees

• LCSW by Monmouth University 2005

Certificates

• One Year Program Modern Psychoanalysis by Academy of Applied and Clinical Psychoanalysis 2015

Trainings

• IFS Level 2

Affiliations

• Advanced Training Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship and Core Skills, by ICEEFT 2018

Average costs per session

$250

Payment Methods

• Cash
• Check