About Therapy with Me

My goal is to enhance transformation.

“How can I help people as a therapist when the symptoms they experience don’t respond well to talking about the problems?” That was the question I confronted while working with people with long histories of depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and PTSD.

My search for answers led me to Accelerated Resolution Therapy. I started using it with my clients and saw heartwarming results. People who suffer years of pain can gain control over their lives and let go of painful parts of their past to have real, lasting relief. Now, these sessions jumpstart the therapy process at work.

Of course, quick transformations can be life-changing. The next step is to determine what the changed life looks like and how it works. Just like traveling to an unfamiliar place, travelers need maps, new communication skills, and guidance about customs and cultural norms. My work with clients in this stage is about navigating the changing relationships and landscapes as they rework and build new ways of being.

That’s where improving communication skills, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy are helpful. These are more traditional talk therapy sessions; sometimes, Accelerated Resolution Therapy sessions are mixed to break through barriers.

Maintenance is important.

After repairing, rebuilding, and settling into a new mindset, it can be comforting and helpful to continue working with someone who knows your history and has been on your journey.

Regular maintenance keeps things running smoothly and prevents minor problems from becoming big.

When a crisis hits (and it will occasionally hit), being connected to helping resources when you need them can make all the difference.

Life today is not easy.

Modern life puts all kinds of stressors on people, and there is an emptiness that sometimes manifests as mental health symptoms but is based on more existential angst.

There is a renaissance in exploring the use of psychedelics to treat people, again in a way that goes beyond using talk therapy. For those who are called to it, my training in ketamine-assisted therapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy supports the safe use of these potent medicines as their use becomes more common in the next wave of mental health treatment.

I want to see people get well. If I have a possible solution to a problem, I will share it with you, not let you flail around and watch you struggle to figure it out yourself because that’s what you’re supposed to do in therapy. We are going to work together as a team. You will steer your ship as I provide the engineering support and know-how.

In addition to the technical skills and tools I bring to the table through my training as a therapist, I’m a well-grounded, deeply compassionate, warm, thoughtful, intuitive person who will accept you for who you are, no matter how you show up, and hold space while you figure your stuff out.

About Michal Klau-Stevens, LCSW, MPH

Being grounded has its advantages.

I grew up in a surprisingly typical and interesting family with four siblings, parents with many interests, and a 64-year marriage that models what strong relationships can look like over many years.

My work is grounded in experiences of healthy functioning, which can be unusual in this field. I’ve been with my husband for over 35 years (and I still like him!). I have three kids who have put me through the paces as a parent and continue to be my most outstanding teachers about what matters in life. I have extended family and friends who nourish and challenge me, too.

Being grounded is not problem-free.

Lest you think it’s been all unicorns and rainbows, so I couldn’t possibly understand what you are going through, but let me assure you, that is not the case.

I’ve also had relationship problems with family, friends, and co-workers, been fired from jobs, raised and advocated for special-needs kids with autism and ADHD, changed careers multiple times, moved around the country, lost family members to illness and overdose, navigated LGBTQ+ dynamics, and experienced what I call “The Year I Got Kicked Out of Everything.”

Sometimes, life is hard. I bring all that experience to my work, and as I age, there’s a lot of experience to bring!

Empowering women is my mission.

For many years, I have been empowering women so they can bring their best, most powerful selves to influence the world for good.

I spent more than two decades as an activist and advocate for healthy birth practices and the midwifery model of care because the time around pregnancy, birth, and motherhood is pivotal for women to access and grow into their power. That work led me to graduate school, where I received dual master’s degrees in social work and public health in 2018 and 2019.

Since graduating, I’ve expanded my focus to working with women and their families at different stages of life. I have master-level training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy and am a Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Provider through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute.

There are interests outside of therapy.

I’ve also worked as a professional makeup artist and a cake decorator, which is why I have blue hair and a sweet tooth! You can learn more about me and my work on the FAQ page.

If you are ready to experience how all this background comes together to help people make positive changes in their lives, contact me to set up a free consultation, and we can talk about how I can help you.