Michelle Park, M.A., M.S.Ed.

Michelle Park, M.A., M.S.Ed.

Licensed Counselor

This therapist has over 6 years of experience. 

Adolescents, Adults
English, Korean, Bilingual

Michelle was born in Seoul but has spent about an equal amount of time living in the U.S. and South Korea throughout her youth and adulthood. She studied and worked in California, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

Biography

Coming from a background in Education and Counseling, Michelle is well aware of the challenges that youth, young adults, and families experience during their life transitions and course of development. She has experience working with clients from over 20 different countries. Previously, she provided individual counseling sessions in both English and Korean at Seoul National University and provided English counseling services to international students at Yonsei University during her internship as well. At a different capacity as a former educator, multicultural specialist, and founder of a non-profit organization, she actively advocated for mental health awareness by speaking at multiple events, including but not limited to Let’s Talk!, an annual conference at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Michelle also worked with the City of Seoul to develop empathy training manuals and tailored lesson plans for K-12 Korean public schools to help children and youth gain multicultural understanding. She also taught at a university and high schools in the U.S. and has experience working with diverse student populations, parents, and families across ethnicities and cultures. Michelle is knowledgeable about both Korean and U.S. education systems, including international schools in South Korea.

Therapy Approach

As I understand that clients often come into therapy sessions when they feel most vulnerable, I try to provide a warm and safe space to build and practice trust together. With an emphasis on Person-Centered Therapy, I respect my client’s lived experience, support autonomy, and work collaboratively with my clients to move toward personal empowerment. I take an integrative approach by utilizing Multicultural Counseling Therapy to understand how individuals can be exposed to and impacted by different life stressors such as race, gender, socio-economic background, religion, culture, and social norms. Because larger social contexts can affect our level of distress, I work with my clients to navigate and identify stressors to help them channel their emotions more effectively rather than holding back with increasing self-doubt and self-blame. By paying acute attention throughout therapy, I strive to meet my clients at their strengths and skills with an overall goal of supporting them to experience increased self-awareness, self-agency, and self-empowerment. To do so, I weave in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to invite my clients to recognize and regulate their behavioral patterns more effectively.

Availability

Seoul
Pyeongtaek
Online

Speciality

  • Adjustment Stress
  • Anxiety / Panic Attacks
  • Career Counseling
  • Depression
  • Family Conflict
  • Parenting Stress
  • Self Esteem
  • Social Skills & Peer Relationships
  • Trauma / PTSD

Location

  • Seoul (Sinsa)
  • Online

Fun Facts

I enjoy spotting cumulous clouds in the blue sky and taking photos of plants and flowers every season. During my free time, I love walking my dog and biking along the river. I’m conscious about what I eat but can’t live without chocolate and coffee!

Education

  • MA: Boston College (2018, Counseling Psychology)
  • MS.Ed.: University of Pennsylvania (2010, Intercultural Communication)
  • BA: University of California, San Diego (2008, Major in Linguistics with a Minor in Chinese Studies)

Certifications

  • Clinical Psychologist Level 2 #23202073683C (임상심리사 2급)

Certified Counselor
Licensed Psychologist
Certified Counselor
U.S. Licensed Social Worker
U.S. Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Intern Counselor
Certified Counselor
U.S. Licensed Counselor
Certified Counselor
Certified Psychologist (TRICARE, Kenya & Ethiopia)

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