Meet your therapist

Molly Michael

LMSW, LGSW · DC · VA · MD

she / her / hers

You understand yourself. You can name the patterns. And you're still stuck. Let's work on that, in your mind and your body.

EMDR Trained
IFS Trained
Veterans & First Responders
DC · VA · MD

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Molly Michael, LMSW, LGSW, therapist at Full Self Psychotherapy in Washington, DC

2 Core modalities
3 States licensed
20+ Yrs public service

My background

Twenty years of listening for patterns, now one person at a time.

Before becoming a therapist, I spent two decades in public service as an intelligence analyst, studying complex systems to serve the greater good. Over time I realized the skills that made me effective there: curiosity, pattern-spotting, deep listening. They belong in the therapy room, one person at a time.

I earned my MSW at The Catholic University of America, counseled college students for two years, then pursued post-graduate training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR to support the kind of durable, body-mind change that actually holds.

I also receive regular clinical supervision from Margot Lamson, LICSW, LCSW-C, a trauma-focused psychotherapist with 15 years of clinical experience. When you work with me, you are also drawing on that depth of expertise.

I strive to create a safe, compassionate, and collaborative space where every person feels seen, understood, and empowered. All of you is welcome here, even the parts that feel confusing, protective, or hard to understand.

Trauma-Focused
Body-Mind Integrated
Veterans & First Responders
LGBTQIA+ Affirming
Neurodivergent-Affirming
Culturally Humble

What guides my work

There is nothing as whole as a broken heart.
A teaching from the Jewish tradition that guides my work

I carry this as an attitude, not an agenda. Compassion and dignity for every part of you, and a genuine welcome for clients of all identities and backgrounds. The places that feel most tender are not defects to erase. They are doorways into wholeness.

Who I help

I work with people whose minds already understand the pattern but whose bodies haven't caught up yet.

My clients are often self-aware and motivated. They've read the books, tried journaling, maybe even done therapy before. Something still feels stuck. If any of these resonate, we may be a good fit.

Young Professionals & Motivated Adults

You're functioning well on the outside. Inside, anxiety, old patterns, or a quiet disconnection keep showing up. You want change that holds, not just coping strategies.
Veterans, Military & First Responders

I bring specific experience here. Transition, moral injury, hypervigilance, the weight of service. I understand the terrain and hold it with real respect.
People Who've Tried Therapy Before

You gained insight but still feel it in your body. EMDR and IFS go deeper than talking can, reaching the places that haven't shifted yet despite your best efforts.
Adults with Attachment Wounds

When closeness feels risky, when the same relationship patterns keep repeating, when connection brings as much fear as comfort. This is work I know well.
Anxiety, Trauma & Life Transitions

Big changes, chronic stress, or past experiences still living in the body as tension, reactivity, or numbness. You don't have to keep managing around it.
Clients Ready for Deeper Work

Including those drawn to therapy intensives: extended sessions that allow for deeper processing than weekly 50-minute appointments can reach.

How we work

What we build together

01
Untangle the pattern

Map what pushes, protects, or shuts down, and what it's been guarding. Understanding at a felt level: body and mind together.
02
Build nervous system safety

When your system feels steadier, new choices become possible. We create that foundation before going anywhere deep.
03
Turn awareness into practice

Tiny, repeatable shifts you can use at your desk, in a hard conversation, when anxiety spikes. Practice, not homework.

Methods

Therapy approaches I use

I work primarily with IFS and EMDR because they reach the body and nervous system alongside the mind, where much of what keeps people stuck actually lives.

EMDR Therapy

Overwhelming experiences can stay stuck, carrying the same images, sensations, and beliefs from when they happened. EMDR helps your brain finish processing so those memories move into the past, freeing up the present with less reactivity and more choice. We go at the pace of your system.
Learn More About EMDR
Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Instead of treating perfectionism, people-pleasing, or shutdown as flaws, we meet them as protective parts that helped you survive earlier seasons. When those parts feel respected, they can relax. Your steadier, compassionate core gets to lead.
Learn More About IFS
Therapy Intensives

Standard weekly sessions can feel like opening something significant and closing it before there's time to move through it. Intensives give us extended blocks, 90 minutes to a full day, to go deeper and farther in less time overall.
Learn More About Intensives

Client fit

Who tends to do the most meaningful work with me

Who's a good fit

Self-aware but unable to shift patterns alone. You want change you can feel, not just insight you can describe.
Navigating anxiety, trauma, or attachment wounds that talk therapy hasn't fully reached.
Balancing high demands at work or school alongside complicated relationship dynamics.
A veteran, military professional, or first responder (police, fire, or emergency services) navigating transition, trauma, or reintegration.
Drawn to body-based approaches because you sense the work needs to go beyond thinking.
Previous therapy gave you insight. You're ready for something that also creates relief.

Who's not a good fit

Looking for a structured, step-by-step approach without space for exploration.
Currently in active crisis or needing intensive psychiatric care (referrals available).
Unwilling to notice what's happening in the body alongside the mind.
Preferring a therapist focused only on surface-level coping skills.

If you're not sure, a free consultation is the best way to find out.

Schedule a Free Consultation

What's possible

What change can look like

A steadier body: less bracing, easier breath, even under pressure
Decisions with less second-guessing and more trust in yourself
Boundaries that hold: clear and kind, without the aftermath of guilt
Self-talk that fuels effort rather than feeding shame
More clarity and confidence in how you move through the world
A different relationship with the hard parts: less at war with yourself

Background

Clinical experience

Education
- MSW, The Catholic University of America, clinical social work concentration
- Two years counseling college students before transitioning to trauma-focused private practice
Licensure
- LMSW in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland
- Ongoing clinical supervision from Margot Lamson, LICSW, LCSW-C
Specialization
- IFS Institute Level 1 Training Program (1311) in Internal Family Systems Therapy: 91 hours, online in real time, January to May 2026 View Certificate
- EMDR Basic Training Parts 1 and 2, AGATE Institute, adults and complex trauma: 66 hours, EMDRIA Provider #07005, completed November 21, 2025 View Certificate
- EMDR for Attachment Injuries, Psychwire, presented by Debra Wesselmann: 12 EMDRIA credits, completed September 2, 2026 View Certificate (Part 1)View Certificate (Part 2)
Prior Career
- Twenty years as an intelligence analyst in public service, studying complex systems. That career shaped how I listen, how I notice patterns, and how I hold complexity without rushing toward conclusions.

Colleague perspectives

What colleagues say

I cannot say enough good things about Molly Michael! She is an exceptional clinician and colleague, demonstrating a sincere investment in her clients' wellbeing and consistently showing up with empathy, presence, and deep care for those she serves. Molly has a natural intuition that helps her tune into what each client needs and thoughtfully adjust her approach in a way that feels both skillful and compassionate.

Angelyn Wollen, LGSW
Molly has a good balance between supporting her clients with tremendous empathy and challenging them to think differently about their situations. She came to this profession thoughtfully and with life experiences that have given her a sophisticated ability to think critically about clients and a wisdom and intuition that enable her to connect with them.

Karen Miller, LICSW

Common Questions

What are your fees?

These are my current session rates. Longer sessions and half-day or full-day intensives are available if you would like to go deeper, faster.

45-minute session: $210
60-minute session: $290
90-minute session: $460
2-hour session: $615
3-hour session (half day): $920
5-hour session (full day): $1,535

Sessions outside standard business hours (9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday) and weekend sessions incur a 25% surcharge. Full Self Psychotherapy does not accept insurance, but we are happy to provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement.

From the blog

Written by Molly

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Get in touch

Ready to feel different about your stuck places?

Book a free 20-minute consult. We'll talk about what's heavy right now and outline a plan that fits your season of life. You can also reach me directly at (202) 831-1567 or molly@fullselfpsychotherapy.com.

Schedule a Free Consultation

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