About Michael
How I Work
Therapy with me is about understanding your system from the inside out. We focus on making sense of your patterns, reactions, and the ways your system has adapted, so that change happens through understanding, not force.
I draw from:
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
EMDR
Somatic and attachment-informed therapy
ACT and CBT when the structure is helpful
Neurodivergence-affirming care
Gottman-informed relationship work
This work is collaborative, paced, and grounded in respect for who you are.
The Perspective I Bring
My work is shaped not only by training, but by lived experience.
I’m an AuDHD therapist, with a long-standing ADHD diagnosis and a later autism diagnosis after years of high masking and not being fully recognized. This directly informs how I listen, what I notice, and how I understand the experiences many of my clients are trying to make sense of.
I was born in Colombia and adopted, then raised in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. That experience of navigating identity, belonging, and difference from multiple angles has shaped how I understand what it means to feel out of place, even in environments where things appear “fine” on the surface.
Because of this, I tend to work well with people who have spent much of their lives adapting, masking, or trying to make sense of themselves in systems that didn’t quite reflect them.
Who I Work With
I work with adults who want to understand themselves more deeply—not just manage symptoms.
This often includes people who:
Feel stuck in patterns they can’t fully explain
Seem high-functioning on the outside but feel overwhelmed internally
Think and feel deeply, with complex internal experiences
People whose systems move quickly or deeply
Individuals who have spent years masking or adapting
Many are navigating trauma, neurodivergence, identity shifts, or major life transitions.
For Therapists and Helping Professionals
I also work with therapists and other helping professionals who want to experience this work directly and personally.
A space where you don’t have to be the one holding everything.
WAYS TO Work With Michael
Therapy is offered via telehealth for clients located in:
Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Florida, and the UK
You can explore different ways of working together:
Ongoing Therapy (limited availability)
What This Work Supports
Trauma Therapy That Honors Your System’s Wisdom
You don’t have to relive what happened to heal from it.
When you’ve lived through hard things, your system learned how to survive in ways that made sense at the time, but may now leave you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected.
You might notice:
Reactions you can’t fully explain
Feeling numb or distant
Emotions that feel overwhelming or hard to access
Being on guard, even with people you trust
Patterns in relationships that feel hard to change
This work focuses on understanding those patterns so your system can begin to shift safely.
What Changes Over Time
Your reactions start to make more sense
Less self-blame and more clarity
A stronger sense of who you are
The ability to stay present in difficult moments
More choice in how you respond
Clearer communication and boundaries
Professional Background
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
Michael has extensive training and experience in administering and interpreting psychometric assessments, including autism and ADHD evaluations, with a focus on adult diagnosis and differential clarity.
Ready When You Are
You don’t need to have it all figured out before starting.
We can begin exactly where you are, not where you think you should be.