S5 Episode 10: What I Couldn't Tell My Therapist with Michelle M. May, LPC, LLC

Michelle May is a psychotherapist, author, trauma specialist, a survivor, a teacher, and a guiding force in the world of emotional healing. She has dedicated her career to helping people uncover the unconscious patterns that drive anxiety, depression, addiction, and even chronic physical pain. As the Chair of the Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) program at the New Washington School of Psychiatry, she trains therapists in deep, transformative work that helps clients break free from self-sabotaging cycles. Michelle’s expertise isn’t just professional, it’s deeply personal. Before she became the therapist she is today, she was a patient herself, battling the hidden wounds of perfectionism, people-pleasing, chronic pain, and opioid dependency. Her book, What I Couldn’t Tell My Therapist, is a raw and fearless account of that journey, interwoven with the stories of two of her patients, exposing the unseen forces that shape our suffering. Through her work, she reveals that the mind and body are not separate, that our deepest wounds live in both, and that true healing requires the courage to confront what we avoid most. Michelle’s mission is clear: to help people break free from the defenses that once protected them but now hold them back and to unravel the unconscious patterns that keep them stuck in cycles of fear, self-sabotage, and pain. Michelle is living proof that even when healing feels impossible, even when the past feels too heavy to escape, transformation is always within reach.

Connect with Michelle:

Instagram - @michellemmaylpc

Website - https://michellemmaylpc.com

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Life can be hard at times and if you’re like me, you may tend to think that you can handle it all on your own. Maybe you’ve done such a good job of “managing for so long” having to do something different or talk to someone can feel uncomfortable. The idea of therapy, to me, felt like I had to admit that there was something wrong with me or that I’d be showing the world that I was broken or didn't have it all together… but when my health started to suffer, and I was anxious 24/7… I realized my body was trying to tell me something was wrong and I learned that there is no “good health” without mental health. Therapy was the answer for me, it helped me put down all of the heavy things that I was carrying that didn’t belong to me. While therapy can provide so much relief, finding a therapist can feel so daunting. BetterHelp, the sponsor of today’s video, has done so much to make finding a therapist and starting therapy so much easier! BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform whose mission is making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life's challenges can get help. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who is trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. Over 4 million people have used BetterHelp to start living a healthier, happier life.

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