Suraleah Michaels Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)
Dr. Michaels' practice is devoted to working with adults, both in individual therapy (long- and short-term) and marital counseling. She has a sub-specialty in coaching.
Overview
Dr. Michaels obtained her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She also holds a B.A. in Mental Health and Counseling from Antioch College, as well as an MA in Clinical-Developmental Psychology from Antioch College.
Her clinical training was extensive, including inpatient and outpatient psychotherapy, psychological testing, clinical supervision and comprehensive clinical evaluations with a wide population: adults, children, adolescents, family, couples. She has also conducted numerous child custody evaluations and engaged in consultation with attorneys on criminal defense/mitigation and child custody matters, as well as provided her services as an expert witness in legal matters such as these.
Following receipt of her Doctorate, Dr. Michaels held a full-time faculty position with Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, primarily training and teaching doctoral level students in Clinical Psychology. After five years in academia during which Dr. Michaels maintained a part-time clinical practice, she moved into full-time private practice and has now been an independent practitioner for 15 years.
Suraleah Michaels sees patients at the following location(s):
Chicago, Illinois
Suraleah Michaels, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
207 West Superior Street, Third Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60654
Contact Suraleah Michaels
Phone: 312.664.1621
Personal Statement
I consider it both a privilege and a pleasure to be a clinical psychologist. In choosing my career, I was excited about the notion that not only could I contribute by helping people feel a great deal better in and about their lives, but I could also learn from each person. And each piece of learning would help the next person on their way.
Just as the field of psychotherapy has evolved -- wonderfully so, I think, so that more people are likely to see it as a viable option for help -- I too have evolved as a therapist. While my early training was quite eclectic -- a variety of approaches such as gestalt, behaviorial, family systems, psychodrama -- my doctoral training was pretty purely Fruedian/psychoanalytic in nature. With time and experience, I have evolved to what I think of as a psychodynamic/existential therapist. By this I mean that I attribute meaning to behavior and I believe one's past is important (the psychodynamic part), but I also recognize that we are all human beings who have to deal with our development and existence in pretty universal ways (the existential part). As such, I consider myself a partner in the psychotherapy process, helping the person I work with to move forward in ways they desire and ways that will be meaningful and satisfying to them.
During these years in private practice, I have observed how people express what they want from therapy. Their desires fall into some natural categories: people tell me about wanting to find more meaning in their lives, reduce conflicts in their relationships, develop a deeper satisfaction in living, make a career change that expresses more of who they are, alleviate depression and anxiety, and often simply to 'feel better.' For some, the intensity of their pain and unhappiness may prohibit them from enjoying themselves, their work and their relationships. For others, the unhappiness may be more subtle and inernal. No two therapy situations are the same and no two people have exactly the same desires for the outcome of their therapy.
Towards these goals, I commit myself to joining in a partnership with whomever I work with. I am active in this process, joining you in looking at your life. Most people decribe this process as one which helps them see and experience themselves and their lives differently.
While psychotherapy with individuals and couples is my primary specialty, I also offer coaching to professionals and entrepreneuers. This aspect of my practice tends to be more focused on helping people increase their performance by: improving self-confidence, building self-esteem, and developing certain skillsets such as enhancing communication/interpersonal skills, managing/supervising others, and developing personal and business strategies for greater satisfaction and success. Coaching might at times tend to move in the direction of the psychotherapeutic process should internal conflicts be uncovered which decidedly create obstacles to one's performance.
Treatment Areas
Dr. Michaels has experience treating the following areas: Adolescent Issues, Aging, Anxiety Disorders, Assertiveness, Career Issues, Couples' Issues, Depression, Divorce, Emotional Growth and Development, Gender Issues, Identity Issues, Life Management Issues, Low Self-Esteem, Midlife Issues, Pain, Peak Performance, Performance Enhancement, Procrastination, Relationship Issues, Stress, Vocational Issues, Women's Issues, and Work Issues.
Treatment Modalities
Dr. Michaels provides Coaching, Individual Psychotherapy, Marriage Counseling, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Psychological Testing.
She works with Adolescents, Adults, Businesses/Corporations, and Couples.