Accepting clients in Texas and Colorado



Michelle Byrd, M.Ed, LPC
Faith-Based Christian Counseling


Learn The Language Of Your Soul

Michelle Byrd, M.ED, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas and Colorado 
Trauma Specialist and Christian Counselor


My passion is to help you walk in faith, to find freedom from the shackles of trauma, 
to discover your authentic wholeness in Christ, and to unveil your soul's purpose in this world. 

My Specialties:

Developmental, Childhood, and Sexual Trauma

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD)

Christian Spirituality

New Age Deception Recovery & Spiritual Abuse by the Occult
(for former New Agers coming home to Jesus)

Addiction Recovery

Additional Populations I work with:

** The following list of symptoms often co-occur with trauma **

Identity
Grief
Depression
Anxiety
Social Anxiety
Self-Esteem
Interpersonal Skills
Coping Skills
Perfectionism
Codependency

What is Complex Trauma?


Traditional PTSD is linked to a single incident shock trauma, whereas, Complex PTSD is an experience of repeated, inescapable, and longterm exposure to trauma and adverse events. CPTSD is most commonly associated with developmental and childhood trauma, but can also occur later in life.
Developmental trauma negatively impacts our ability to attach properly in relationships, which we require in order to fulfill our needs as social creatures. It also disturbs our spiritual nature, our deepest core beliefs, our sense of self, and our inherent existential curiosity towards purpose and meaning. 
Common traumatic injuries associated with CPTSD include abuse, neglect, and relational wounding, often during formative years. Effects from this type of trauma are not always obvious. An individual struggling with CPTSD may often look like a high-functioning, well-adjusted adult on the outside, even though they are burdened with pain and limiting inner narratives. 

There are a variety of symptoms which include but aren't limited to: 

Emotional Flashbacks (reliving a historical emotional experience in the present moment)
Emotional dysregulation
Crippling low-self esteem
A harsh "inner critic" voice
Distrust or avoidance towards others, relationships and authority figures
Negative outlook on the world and existence
Distorted self-perception 
Dissociation ("checking out" from reality)
Impaired relationship dynamics
Codependency
Difficulty with boundaries
Recovery from complex trauma is entirely possible. It does not have to be a prison sentence for you mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Healing these wounds requires learning about your experiences through a compassionate lens, developing self-love, leaning on spiritual support, and learning important skills that you may have missed in terms of developmental milestones.

    Dear Client,

    I know that you crave an enriching life of whole-hearted connection, passion, and purpose. I believe your wounds block you from your true essence, which grows a callous over your heart and mind, and destroys the sense of connection to yourself, others, and existence. 

    I first and foremost help my clients develop a deeper relationship in their spirituality with God. My focus on Christian spirituality guides us in grieving the pains of this broken world, so that you may process the wounds that trauma left behind. 

    We will seek your authentic wholeness, connection, resilience, self-love and purpose in your life through faith. I meet my clients on a deep spiritual level and walk alongside them to heal the inescapable burdens that come with this world.

    I believe that your soul is unique, has a predetermined purpose, is worthy and loved beyond measure, and is inherently able to heal. You will be met with an unconditionally loving and nurturing presence with me. I welcome all parts of you, even the parts you reject, hide, and find unworthy to show the rest of the world.

    Michelle

    My Story...

    We have a God-shaped hole in our heart

    Let me tell you a bit about my journey and how it influenced me to become the person and therapist I am today...

    Mental health struggles do not discriminate and I am no stranger to the impact. I lived a large majority of my early adult life consumed by pain. Formative experiences in development left life feeling like a never-ending uphill battle. I felt removed from any source of connection around me, didn't know how to love myself, and couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness in my life. I did not trust people and never felt like I fit in anywhere. Feeling different and unworthy subsequently caused years of struggle with my mental health. That all changed when I went on a search for meaning in this world and eventually opened my heart to God in my own healing work. 

    Pain, loneliness, and a curious mind sent me on a long journey of seeking answers in all the wrong places which lead me into the New Age movement. Nothing ever truly helped or quite lined up. All these paths offered me were knowledge with no change or true benefit, temporary peace, and superficial concepts that left me unsatiated and constantly searching. I had an inner knowing that there was more and it pulled at me unwaveringly. Then I unexpectedly decided to open a Bible and finally learned for myself what it meant to be in a relationship with Jesus, as well as his supernatural ability to change me from the inside out. My worldview fundamentally shifted and I gained clarity on the spiritual nature of mental illness through an existential Christian worldview. 

    My path lead me into the mental health field where my abundant experience and training with trauma survivors helped me understand our humanity, spirit, and psyche on a deeper level. The very essence of trauma is like losing a roadmap to your spirit (the part of us that connects with and feels God). I believe that unresolved trauma + spiritual bankruptcy is the perfect storm for mental and emotional disturbance. 

    I became a therapist because I've always had an intrinsic desire to help others and a genuine love for people. My passion grew as I began to understand the complexities of the human experience, particularly in relation to existential concerns and trauma. The spiritual burden of this broken world + the pain we experience here sent me on a mission to seek, learn, and serve. My own healing journey and subsequent spiritual awakening as a Born Again Christian now inspires and informs how I lead in my role as a helper, believer, and mental health advocate. I now boldly and passionately practice from an existential Christian worldview with a focus on complex traumatic injury in adults. 

    “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” 

    Matthew 7: 13-14

    My Approach to a "Spirit-Lead" Life.

    1.  Stabilization 
    2. Connection + Safety
    3. Develop Skills 
    4. Trade Defenses for Spiritual Armor
    5. Develop Identity in Christ
    6. Process Trauma + Grief
    7. Rewrite Your Story in Christ
    8. Discover the Spirit-Lead Life

    What it's like to work with me.
    I am gentle yet challenging, inherently compassionate, creative, playful, and warm. Developing comfort, safety and depth of connection with you are my priorities because we heal when we feel safe to be unapologetically ourselves. I value the sovereignty of your existence and walk with you in the discovery of this part of your being, otherwise known as the soul (your connection to God and The Holy Spirit). I am not a passive therapist that just sits back and listens, I'm in this work with you. I will help you meet yourself as God sees you, underneath your pain-points and limiting inner narratives that dim your light. We will attend to the traumatic wounds that inform and fuel self-defeating cycles of pain and disconnection from God. As we grieve and heal in this way, we will eventually meet the you that is buried away under layers of defensive armor that you developed to survive in this harsh world. 

    But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
    1 Peter 1:17


    Experience and Training.

    I am currently engaged in advanced training as a Biblical Counseling Student through the 
    American Association of Christian Counselors and an active member of Bible Study Fellowship. 

    Education

    Master's (M.Ed) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Texas Tech University Graduate School
    Bachelor's in Community, Family and Addiction Sciences, focus in Addictive Disorders and Recovery - Texas Tech University

    Advanced Training and Continued Education

    Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR (Eye-Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing) Basic Training
    Advanced EMDR Training for Complex Trauma and Dissociative Personality Structures
    Somatic Experiencing Training with Dr. Albert Wong
    Internal Family Systems (IFS) Intensive Training for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression and Addiction with 
    Dr. Richard Schwartz & Dr. Frank Anderson
    Dialectical Behavior Therapy Training with Dr. Lane Pederson, PsyD, LP

    Experience

    Private Practice Therapist and business owner, 2018-present.
    Addiction Recovery Therapist: levels of care including Intensive Outpatient (IOP), Partial Hospitalization (PHP), Residential, and Sober Living.
    Psychiatric Social Work for Inpatient Mental Health Hospitalization.
    Volunteer Therapist for Public School System (high school age). 
    Community Mental Health Services, Clinical Coordinator for Adult Behavioral Health Department.
    Crisis Intervention for a Residential Domestic Violence Shelter serving Women and Children.
    Clinical Internships: Community Mental Health Agency providing in-home therapy, coping skills training & crisis stabilization, Adoption Agency Intern, and worked in the school system with children suffering from learning disabilities and behavioral issues.

    Therapy Approaches

    Christian Counseling
    Christian-focused Internal Family Systems (IFS)
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
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     Are you ready to break free of your chains? 
    If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency and need immediate assistance 
    please contact 911, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800.273.8255, or text TALK to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. 
    In accordance with the No Surprises Act, I provide a Good Faith Estimate as part of intake for treatment.
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