Dr. Michaela Hammer

Dr. Michaela Hammer uses a client-centered approach to help people facing big life transitions. She listens first, then works with each person to figure out practical steps forward. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 35 years of experience and brings a calm, direct style to sessions.

Her work often focuses on relationship strain, grief, depression, anxiety, stress, anger, and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, intimacy-related issues, and self-esteem challenges. She helps people sort through family-of-origin issues, communication problems, and career crossroads.

Dr. Hammer also offers assessment and care around memory loss and cognitive functioning. She explains testing and results in plain language and shares research and resources she has found useful. She emphasizes that not all memory loss is permanent and helps people find next steps.

A newer area of focus is pet grief and loss. She provides counseling for people who have lost a companion animal and has received referrals from veterinarians and medical providers for this work. She treats such loss as meaningful and often overlooked.

Her background includes decades of practice across settings - private offices, homes, schools, retirement communities, nursing homes, and hospitals. She has run memory clinics and provided workshops on cultural awareness and aging issues. Her approach aims to separate myths from facts so people can move forward with dignity and renewed hope.

Approaches for online work and practical change

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person in front of the therapist. It emphasizes listening, empathy, and helping people name their goals and values so they can take steps that feel right to them. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers clear tools to reduce symptoms and change unhelpful patterns.

Finding the best approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, comfort level, and life situation. That plan can be adjusted as needs change over time.

If you are considering online work, confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Many people find remote sessions help fit therapy into a busy life - they can avoid travel time, manage appointments around work or caregiving, and have shorter check-ins when needed. Online sessions also let people continue care when routines change. Talk with the therapist about what will work best for scheduling, length of sessions, and the practical details that make therapy manageable.