Contact Information
Phone: 630-522-3124
Email: MRedfield@theocdandanxietycenter.com
Location: Oak Brook & Telehealth (Illinois)
Michele’s Take on Treatment
“The healing journey can be overwhelming and tied up in others’ expectations of how recovery should look. I believe in normalizing treatment as well as tailoring it to your unique needs, knowing it does not have to look a certain way as what works for one may not work for another. I strongly believe anxiety recovery is a gentle process, where you can grow, and learn to care for yourself in order to live a better life. Every step teaches new skills and knowledge, cementing what has been learned. I know recovery is not about appearances, but rather about empowering oneself, building confidence, and learning new and more nourishing ways to live life.”
Approach to Therapy
Michele’s approach to therapy is solution-focused, relational and empathetic. She specializes in providing evidence-based therapies with children, teens, and adults who struggle with anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and anxiety related disorders. She spends time with each patient understanding the function behind their anxiety and discovers how thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors reinforce their symptoms. Michele collaborates with the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan, and then together they work at a pace that is comfortable for the patient. She holds space for the patient to explore issues in a safe and non judgemental environment. Michele’s goal is to help all patients find the willingness to confront fears and to empower them to become self-reliant as they strive to become their most authentic selves. Michele is also comfortable involving significant others, parents and supportive others in the treatment process, recognizing that much change can occur when including supportive others.
Experience and Training
Michele earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Social work with specialization in mental health at Loyola University at Chicago. Prior to joining The OCD & Anxiety Center, Michele worked in community mental health servicing children and veterans with anxiety, depression, and PTSD by providing counseling and case management services. Most recently, she worked in a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient program providing care to adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, PTSD, and life transitions. Michele is trained in and incorporates the following therapeutic approaches based on the needs of the patient: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Prolonged Exposure (PE). In addition, she utilizes Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), mindfulness and self-compassion to increase coping skills and reduce stress.
More about Michele
Michele was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys going on nature walks, attending hot yoga classes, and spending time with her eight animals (two dogs, two cats, and four chickens). She is an avid lover of music and dance, and can often be seen using dance to express joy.
