Michelle Goodwater , LMHC

Michelle Goodwater is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Washington with seven years of clinical experience helping people navigate complex emotional and life challenges. She has worked with a broad range of concerns, including combat trauma, military sexual trauma, childhood abuse and childhood sexual abuse, survivors of rape, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, career struggles, sleep disturbances, grief, traumatic brain injury (TBI), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She has also supported many individuals who have experienced physical trauma or emotional abuse.

Michelle offers a warm, interactive therapy style grounded in respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and she avoids stigmatizing labels. Her training blends cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, and solution-focused methods so she can adapt sessions to each person's needs. She works collaboratively to tailor dialog and treatment plans that reflect a client’s goals, values, and circumstances.

Recognizing that seeking help takes courage, Michelle focuses on empowering individuals to pursue a more fulfilling life and to take practical steps toward change. She is committed to providing attentive, individualized care and looks forward to supporting people ready to begin that process.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Michelle Goodwater uses evidence-informed methods that translate well to remote formats. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values, accept difficult thoughts and feelings, and take meaningful action toward what matters to them - it is often helpful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and developing practical skills to change them, which can be effective for depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a warm, nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship in which the therapist listens deeply and supports the client’s own capacity for growth, making it useful when someone needs empathetic, person-focused care.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Michelle will work with each person to explore which techniques best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and she will adjust the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - allowing individuals to access licensed professionals from home, work, or while traveling. These options make it easier to fit regular therapy into a busy life and to maintain continuity of care when schedules or circumstances change.