Micki Lavin-Pell

Optimism and hope are not the same. Optimism is the belief that the world is changing for the better; hope is the belief that, together, we can make the world better.

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Micki Lavin-Pell's style

Why Micki Lavin-Pell chose to be in the helping profession

I believe that the quality of our relationships shapes the quality of our lives. What inspires me most is helping people move from feeling stuck, disconnected, or overwhelmed to feeling more connected, confident, and fulfilled. That belief has been at the center of everything I do, and it is what drew me to this work in the first place. Relationships are not just a part of life. They are the foundation of it.

My passion for this work began while spending time with people at the end of life. I was struck by how much people valued their relationships, and how painful it was when those connections had been neglected or left unrepaired. Those experiences were profound for me, and they inspired me to dedicate my career to helping individuals, couples, and families build relationships that bring meaning, resilience, and lasting joy. Seeing what truly matters at the end of a life made it very clear where I wanted to focus my energy at the beginning of mine.

There is nothing more rewarding to me than watching clients grow into the best versions of themselves and create relationships they can truly be proud of. Whether someone comes in feeling overwhelmed by conflict, disconnected from the people they love, or simply unsure of how to move forward, I meet them where they are. My goal is to help each person leave with a deeper sense of clarity, confidence, and connection. That transformation, however big or small, is what makes this work meaningful to me every single day.

Micki Lavin-Pell's approach

My approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, and deeply relationship-focused. I believe that many of our struggles, whether in our relationships or within ourselves, are rooted in unmet attachment needs, unresolved trauma, and patterns that once helped us survive but no longer serve us. Understanding where those patterns come from is often the first step toward real, lasting change. In our work together, you will never feel like a diagnosis or a problem to be solved. You will feel like a person being truly seen.

Drawing on attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Somatic Experiencing, and trauma-informed approaches, I help clients understand the deeper dynamics driving their challenges, reconnect with themselves and those they love, and create change that actually holds over time. These are not just clinical tools to me. They are frameworks for helping people make sense of their inner world and their relationships in a way that feels both meaningful and accessible. I tailor my approach to each individual, because no two people arrive at my office carrying the same story or the same needs.

My goal is not simply to reduce symptoms, but to help people build lives and relationships that feel meaningful, connected, and fulfilling. I want clients to leave our work together not just feeling better, but feeling more like themselves. That means developing a deeper understanding of their own patterns, greater confidence in how they show up in relationships, and a renewed sense of what is possible for them.

What you can expect from sessions with Micki Lavin-Pell

Clients often come to therapy feeling stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward. Wherever you are when you walk through the door, you can expect a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental environment where we work together to understand the deeper patterns shaping your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behaviors. This is a space where nothing is too complicated, too messy, or too hard to bring. You do not have to have it figured out before we begin.

My work integrates attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Somatic Experiencing, sex therapy, and trauma-informed approaches to create a path forward that is thoughtful, personalized, and grounded in what the research actually shows works. Rather than focusing only on symptoms or surface-level solutions, we explore the underlying attachment needs, relationship dynamics, life experiences, and nervous system responses that may be contributing to your current challenges. I believe that real change happens when we understand not just what is happening, but why, and what your mind and body have been trying to do all along. That understanding changes everything.

Whether you are seeking support for relationship difficulties, intimacy and sexual concerns, the impact of trauma, anxiety, grief and loss, or personal growth, my goal is to help you develop greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and deeper, more meaningful connections with yourself and the people you love. I work with each client as an individual, because the path forward looks different for everyone. Many clients leave sessions with a clearer understanding of their patterns, practical tools for change, and a renewed sense of hope about what is truly possible for them. That shift in perspective, from feeling stuck to feeling like change is within reach, is what I find most meaningful about this work.

Micki Lavin-Pell's experience working with the Jewish community

Having lived and worked in Israel for many years, I have extensive experience supporting individuals, couples, and families within the Jewish community through both everyday challenges and times of profound stress and transition. That history has given me a deep understanding of the cultural, communal, and emotional landscape that so many of my clients are navigating, and it informs everything I bring into the therapy room. I know this community not just as a clinician, but as someone who has been part of it, walked through difficult seasons alongside it, and witnessed its extraordinary capacity for resilience and connection.

Since October 7th, a significant part of my work has focused on supporting miluim (reserve duty) soldiers, their spouses, and families as they navigate the emotional impact of prolonged separations, repeated deployments, trauma, and the very real challenges of reconnecting at home. This is a population I care deeply about, and I have seen firsthand how much strength it takes to hold a family together under these conditions. The stress of repeated deployments does not just affect the soldier. It ripples through every relationship in the home, and each family member deserves support in their own right.

Through therapy, workshops, and community programs, I help couples strengthen their emotional bond, improve communication, process difficult experiences, and rebuild a sense of connection, safety, and resilience during some of the most demanding periods of their lives. My goal is to meet each person and each couple where they are, without judgment, and to help them find their way back to one another and to themselves. This work is both professional and personal for me, and I bring my whole self to it.

Micki Lavin-Pell's Book Recommendation Zone

• Hold Me Tight
  **Hold Me Tight** by Dr. Sue Johnson is a groundbreaking relationship book based on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), one of the most researched and effective approaches to couples therapy. The book helps couples understand the negative cycles that keep them stuck in conflict and teaches them how to create deeper emotional connection, trust, and intimacy. Through practical exercises and real-life examples, *Hold Me Tight* shows couples how to move beyond blame and defensiveness to build a secure, loving relationship that can withstand life's challenges.
• Attached
  **Attached** by Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller is a highly accessible guide to adult attachment styles and how they shape romantic relationships. The book explains how secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment patterns influence the way people seek closeness, handle conflict, and respond to emotional needs. With practical examples and clear guidance, *Attached* helps readers better understand themselves and their partners so they can build healthier, more secure, and more fulfilling relationships.
• How to Feel Loved
  Drawing on the science of happiness, love, and human connection this book offers a powerful framework to help readers appreciate and nurture what makes them feel truly loved.

Approaches

• Attachment-based
• Couples Counseling
• EMDR
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Family Therapy
• Imago Therapy
• Sex Therapy
• Somatic Therapy

Concerns

• Dating
• Prenatal, perinatal, & postpartum mental health
• Relationships

25 years in practice

Degrees

• MSc. Nutrition and Public Health by Columbia University, Teachers College 1999
• MA, Art Therapy and Counselling by La Trobe University 2001

Certificates

• Marriage and Family Therapy by Israeli Association of Marriage and Family Therapy 2008
• Marriage and Family Therapy by Australian Association of Marriage and Family Therapy 2008
• Specialist Course in Couples Therapy by Relationships Australia 2002
• Somatic Experience Therapy by Somatic Experience Trauma Institute 2020
• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Training by ICEEFT 2016
• Sex Therapy by Merkaz Rotem 2023

Trainings

• EMDR by EMDR Israel 2009
• Grief Therapy by Michael White 2006
• Suicide Prevention by CAMS Care 2026

Affiliations

• Israeli Association of Marriage and Fmaily Therapy by Israeli Association of Marriage and Fmaily Therapy
• Get Help Israel by Get Help Israel 2017

Average costs per session

₪400 - ₪600

Payment Methods

• Free consultation
• Cash
• Credit Card
• PayPal