Dr. Michaela Hammer, LCSW

Dr. Michaela Hammer, LCSW, focuses on relationships and life transitions. She helps people facing grief, depression, anxiety, and changes in family roles. She speaks plainly and aims to guide clients toward clearer choices and renewed purpose.

She uses client-centered work to listen and help people name what matters most to them. She pairs that with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to notice patterns of thought and behavior that get in the way. Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy help set small, realistic steps when change feels overwhelming.

Dr. Hammer has worked in clinical settings for 35 years. Her work has included clinics, schools, retirement communities, nursing homes, hospitals, and in-home visits. She has run memory clinics and performed routine assessments for depression, anxiety, and cognitive functioning. Her experience covers many cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

She also offers support for less-recognized losses, including counseling for pet grief. She listens to how people describe their losses and helps them find resources, research, and practical next steps. She emphasizes dignity and respect throughout that process.

Her approach is practical and collaborative. She explains options, reviews evidence and resources, and helps people make choices that fit their lives. Many people come for help with relationship strain, parenting concerns, career questions, and midlife transitions.

How therapeutic approaches guide online care

Client-Centered Therapy invites the therapist to listen closely and follow each person's priorities. This approach helps when people need space to name what matters and to decide their next steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and testing small changes to see what helps in daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods to try first, and will adjust plans based on how things are going. This collaborative decision-making helps match techniques to the client's goals and preferences.

Session formats are not listed in the original biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow check-ins during a lunch break or between errands. It can also let people use fewer screens or choose audio-only when that suits them better. Licensed professionals can adapt these approaches to make practical changes that matter in everyday life.