Michele Spitulnik, Marriage Counselor in Lafayette, 94549

Michele Spitulnik, PhD Education, MFT

Profession(s):
Marriage & Family Therapy, Counseling
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Marriage and Family Therapist - MFC 48176

My Approach to Helping

I view each client as both an individual with unique interests and motivations and as a member of a family (present or past). I work to build a trusting relationship with each client so that we can explore what is working and feeling right and what is not working and keeping the client from experiencing satisfying relationships. With adults, I help clients make connections between patterns that may have formed from early relationships to how these patterns play out in current relationships with partners or children. With couples, I help each partner feel heard and understood so that individual needs can be met within the partnership. With children, I use a variety of play therapy techniques to establish safety and trust, so that we can work through current issues. With teenagers, I use music, art, or talk therapy to help establish a connection and allow the client to explore their issues.

More Info About My Practice

I take private pay. I can provide a statement for insurance reimbursement.

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

I am passionate about helping people build better relationships - relationships between partners and relationships between parents and children. Sometimes how we were brought up influences how we interact with our partners or our children and we want something different, a different approach or model. Sometimes events happen which affect how we can interact with our partners or children. I am motivated to help tease apart these issues to help people create the most satisfying relationships possible.

My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy

How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist

I come to this profession from many experiences. As a classroom teacher and educational researcher I witnessed on a daily basis how children can struggle and how important parent-child relationships are for the well being and development of children. As a wife and mother, I am continually challenged to balance the demands of maintaining a solid (and romantic) relationship, parent through all the stages of childhood, teenager drama, and launching, and find precious moments for myself and my growth. I draw on these experiences to provide a compassionate environment to support parents, couples and children through their challenges.