Dr. Michele Crisafulli
Clinical Psychologist
PhD
As a clinical and community psychologist who is also trained in behavioral medicine, I really want to know you as a whole person – what matters most to you and what factors across various domains of your life might be supporting or getting in the way of you nurturing that. I believe deeply in the importance of balancing acceptance and change, and I draw heavily on client-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness-based practices. While I consider it my responsibility to stay informed on what the best available evidence suggests could potentially be useful to you, building a trusting, collaborative relationship that fully honors your culture, preferences, and intuition is my first priority.
Interpersonally, I am warm, empathic, and down-to-earth. One of my most strongly held values as a therapist, a mom, and a person is showing up fully and authentically in the present moment, even when it is hard. I strive to bring that to each interaction, to acknowledge and hold compassion for myself when I fall short, and to empower others to do the same.
MY FOCUS
My practice is focused on supporting people navigating a range of life transitions and stresses, especially (though not exclusively) those that involve a bodily component. It has been my experience, both personally and professionally, that transitional times can bring a profound sense of disorientation and that they often contain important opportunities for growth and healing.
I work with individuals experiencing challenges related to the perinatal period, parenting and other types of caregiving stress, adjustment to illness, chronic pain, menopause and perimenopause, gender transition, infertility, and grief and loss, among other concerns. I am trained to help clients develop deeper understanding of the interconnections between their mind, body, and community, and to leverage these insights to move towards greater wellbeing.
Welcoming All of You
Sometimes, what we need more than anything is just to be seen, to be given permission to bring our full selves to the table. I aim to create a space where you feel safe enough to do that, where we can learn from the wisdom of all parts of you (even the ones you don’t like or don’t fully understand yet – I promise they have something to teach us too!).
MY EXPERIENCE
I completed my doctoral training in Human Services Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, including a formal predoctoral internship at the VA Maryland Healthcare System in Baltimore. Prior to that, I earned my Master’s degree in Psychology from Boston University and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Spanish at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
I have been providing therapy and other psychological services since 2008 and have worked across diverse settings including community mental health clinics, academic medical centers, and VA hospitals and clinics. Much of my career has been spent as an integrated member of medical teams, and I am particularly passionate about supporting clients advocating for themselves and their loved ones within our complex, and all-too-often invalidating, healthcare system. In addition to my work with Bluestone, I also serve as a consultant to hospitals and clinics implementing programming to decrease mental health stigma and improve population health.
Find Grounding Through Life’s Storms.
As humans, we will inevitably experience times when we feel adrift – when life feels overwhelming, painful, unsettled, dissatisfying, or downright impossible. Reaching out during these times is a true act of courage. I am here to support you in connecting with your own internal resilience, trying out new ways of doing things, and ultimately developing a confidence in your ability to meet not only this moment but also future moments as well.