Michael Elwan

I support clients to achieve their goals and improve their lives by creating a therapeutic relationship rooted in safety, trust, and deep respect for their lived experience. I don’t position myself as the expert in their life; instead, I walk alongside them, helping them reconnect with their own insight, values, and sense of agency.

The first step is to slow down and understand not only what the client wants to change, but why it matters to them. Often, people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of where to begin. I help them untangle what they’re carrying- whether it’s trauma, grief, anxiety, identity confusion, or relationship patterns -and we begin to notice how these issues show up emotionally, somatically, and relationally.

My approach is integrative and tailored. I draw on trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, narrative therapy, somatic awareness, and culturally responsive frameworks. For example, if a client is dealing with prolonged grief or identity loss following trauma, I might use gentle embodiment work to help them come back to their body safely, alongside narrative strategies to help them re-author their story and reconnect with meaning.

For clients from CaLD backgrounds, I also create space to explore cultural identity, intergenerational expectations, and unspoken family rules that may shape their self-concept or emotional world. This often allows for powerful insight and transformation - where clients not only feel understood but begin to make peace with parts of themselves previously exiled or silenced.

Goals in therapy are not static. I support clients to revisit and redefine them as their insight deepens. For some, progress might mean returning to work or setting boundaries in a relationship; for others, it may be as profound as naming a truth they've carried in silence for years. I focus on helping clients move from surviving to living - with clarity, connection, and greater self-compassion.

Ultimately, I believe that change happens in the presence of empathy, honesty, and culturally safe connection. My role is to hold that space with consistency and care - until the client is ready to step into it with confidence on their own terms.