Business Details
45 Years
experience
Your Trusted Clinical Psychologist in Santa Cruz
As a clinical psychologist with over four decades of experience, I have dedicated my career to helping individuals, couples, and families navigate life's challenges. My practice in Santa Cruz, California, serves clients across the SF Bay Area, offering evidence-based therapies tailored to each client's unique needs. I specialize in trauma recovery using EMDR and Internal Family Systems, while also providing relationship counseling, divorce mediation, and Enneagram-based coaching.My approach combines compassion with advanced training from institutions like the EMDR Institute and Gottman Institute. With a background in academia and extensive continuing education, I help clients achieve lasting personal growth, improved relationships, and greater emotional well-being. My practice integrates multiple therapeutic modalities to address both immediate crises and long-term psychological development.
Services
Individual Psychotherapy
Couples Counseling
Family Therapy
Divorce Mediation
Trauma Recovery
Enneagram Typing
Co-parenting Mediation
Collaborative Divorce
Parent Education
EMDR Therapy
Details
- Year established: 1981
Highlights and features
- We offer over 40 years of clinical psychology experience
- Our team utilizes evidence-based techniques like EMDR and Internal Family Systems
- We specialize in trauma recovery and complex relationship counseling
- Our practice integrates multiple therapeutic modalities for comprehensive care
- We provide specialized divorce mediation and co-parenting services
Associations and certifications
- EMDR Institute
- Center for Self Leadership
- Gottman Institute
- Pia Melody Training
Services
Individual Psychotherapy
Our individual therapy addresses both immediate crises and long-term personal growth. Short-term therapy resolves pressing issues like divorce or trauma, while in-depth sessions foster lasting behavioral change. We integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Internal Family Systems to reduce shame, improve self-regulation, and enhance communication skills. Clients gain deeper self-understanding and develop tools for sustained emotional well-being through personalized treatment plans.
Couples Counseling
This service helps couples understand relationship dynamics and improve communication. Using techniques from Relationship Empowerment and Gottman Method, we address family-of-origin issues and develop strategies for intimacy. Sessions focus on enhancing intellectual, emotional, and spiritual connections through evidence-based approaches. Our goal is to create more loving, accepting relationships by teaching effective communication and conflict resolution skills tailored to each couple's unique needs.
Trauma Recovery
Specialized trauma treatment combines EMDR and Internal Family Systems techniques. EMDR sessions help clients process traumatic memories and reduce environmental triggers over 3-10 sessions. Internal Family Systems addresses protective and wounded inner parts to create lasting healing. This dual approach effectively treats PTSD and deep-seated fears, helping clients regain control over traumatic memories and develop healthier coping mechanisms through structured, evidence-based interventions.
Divorce Mediation
Our divorce mediation process offers a less adversarial alternative to litigation. Psychologist and legal mediators work together to address emotional and practical aspects of marriage dissolution. We help couples create fair custody agreements and settlement terms while maintaining focus on shared goals. This collaborative approach reduces conflict costs and emotional distress through neutral, structured guidance that prioritizes both parties' well-being during the transition process.
Enneagram Coaching
This service combines Enneagram typing with personalized coaching to improve self-awareness and relationships. Through structured interviews, clients identify their personality type, subtype, and behavioral patterns. We explore strengths, challenges, and motivations to develop practical tools for personal growth. The coaching helps clients understand significant others' perspectives, enhancing communication and reducing conflict through deeper psychological insight and targeted behavioral strategies.
People
Michelle Franklin
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Franklin has practiced clinical psychology since 1981, specializing in trauma recovery, relationship counseling, and Enneagram-based coaching. She integrates EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and collaborative divorce techniques in her Santa Cruz practice. Her academic background includes teaching at UCLA and Pepperdine University, with over 1,000 hours of continuing education in mental health specialties.
Questions
What therapeutic approaches do you use?
We utilize EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Gottman Method techniques tailored to each client's specific needs and treatment goals.
How long does therapy typically last?
Short-term therapy resolves immediate issues in 3-10 sessions, while in-depth personal growth programs continue based on individual progress and complexity of concerns.
Do you offer divorce mediation services?
Yes, we provide collaborative divorce mediation with psychologist and legal professionals to create fair custody agreements and settlement terms through structured conflict resolution.
What is Enneagram coaching?
This service identifies personality types through structured interviews, then uses that knowledge to improve self-awareness and relationships through targeted behavioral strategies.
How do you handle trauma treatment?
We combine EMDR therapy for trauma processing with Internal Family Systems techniques to address protective and wounded inner parts for comprehensive healing.
What areas do you serve?
Our practice serves Santa Cruz County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area, offering both in-person and virtual therapy sessions for client convenience.
