Michael Connolly

I work by joining your effort to heal and grow. There is something in you that wants to change and there is something in you that resists change. Together, in a context of curiosity, honesty, and compassion, we work to discover how this dynamic plays out in your life. This effort opens new paths for your life, and new potential for health and growth.

Conversation is our means of exploring. You do much of the talking and I listen with an open heart and an open mind. I also ask questions and make observations in effort to help you hear from yourself in more detail. My goal is to understand you deeply, both your struggles and your strengths, and to help you engage more fully in life. This ongoing conversation is our collaborative work. It can add a new dynamic to your life: conscious, compassionate inquiry. This increases your awareness and complements your capacity to change.

My journey to becoming a therapist began when I started to see one myself. At one point I was experiencing a lot of stress.  I was handling this well as I could, but I started having panic attacks and episodes of immense frustration. So, I thought I would get some help.

I found therapy to be not only helpful but, over time, transformative. It helped me see and realize new possibilities in my life. This didn’t happen because my therapist made suggestions or gave me coaching. Rather, his questions and especially his listening helped me put words to that which lived so long inside me without words. This was liberating. I became aware of core beliefs about myself that I never questioned because they were wordless and existed only as feelings.

My experience in therapy showed me that change is possible. I became more resilient and open to life. This learning continues and is part of what I bring to the practice of psychotherapy.