I understand suffering and I believe in joy.
License number: LMFT91072
Michelle Rene
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
License Number: LMFT91072
Life has made me a better therapist.
Marrying my husband in 1998, raising a child since 2000, navigating several career changes, and experiencing the loss of loved ones have all helped me understand the human condition in ways I couldn't have when I was younger. Life's joys, challenges, and unexpected turns have shaped both who I am and how I approach my work as a therapist.
We all experience a thousand joys and a thousand sorrows.
As I see it, my role is to listen deeply and provide guidance, practical tools, information, inspiration, and a safe, supportive space. Lasting, positive change takes personal effort, but you don't have to navigate that journey alone.
You're not alone. I've been there, too. We all have. Life can be tough, but so are you, whether you realize it yet or not.
Many of us struggle with feeling different, inadequate, or as though we're on the outside looking in. Through 24 years of participation in 12-step programs, I've come to understand just how common these feelings are.
Throughout my life, I've experienced what it means to feel different. I grew up in an unpredictable family environment, and my experiences as a woman, a Jewish person, someone who is neurodivergent and bisexual (and monogamous), and a member of a mixed-race family have shaped my perspective. I've also experienced judgment about my body size.
These experiences have deepened my compassion and reinforced my belief that everyone deserves to feel seen, understood, and accepted.
Personal experience shaped a compassionate, Buddhist-inspired approach to healing
My Path to Mindfulness
As a child, I was often puzzled by my thoughts and emotions. What should I do when I feel so angry I could burst? Should I act on every thought that crosses my mind?
These early questions sparked a lifelong curiosity about emotions, thoughts, and the mind-body connection.
In 2003, I stumbled upon a meditation center and decided to see what was happening inside. During my visit, I heard a teacher explain how we can learn to work with our thoughts and emotions rather than fear them. That experience resonated deeply with me and helped shape what I now describe as my Buddhist-inspired approach.
Research suggests that mindfulness practices can support emotional well-being, improve emotional regulation, and foster greater self-awareness when practiced consistently over time.
While I value the research, my personal experience has been the most convincing evidence of mindfulness's impact on my life.
Through years of imperfect but consistent practice, I've become more confident, less anxious, and more compassionate toward myself and others. I've also developed a greater ability to regain my emotional balance when life becomes overwhelming.
Perhaps most meaningfully, I haven't experienced clinical depression in years. Like everyone else, I still experience moments of sadness and emotional difficulty, but I've learned healthier ways to navigate those feelings.
Mindfulness hasn't made life perfect. It has helped me approach life's challenges with greater awareness, patience, and compassion.
These experiences continue to shape my approach to therapy and my commitment to helping others discover their own capacity for healing, resilience, and joy.
Training and experience grounded in compassionate, evidence-based care.
Work & Education
Professional Experience and Training
- Private Practice Owner, 2016 to present
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2015
- Began working with clients 2007
- Individual counselor and Grief Group Facilitator, The Gathering Place
- Primary Therapist, Pacific MFT Network
- Cancer Support Community, Intern, then Therapist & Group Facilitator,
- Elementary School Counselor for 4th and 5th graders in Downey, Jewish Family & Children’s Services
- Founder & Facilitator, Present Parenting Group, Shambhala Meditation Center
- MFT Clinical Trainee, South Bay Human Service Center (substance abuse treatment)
- Imperfect mindfulness practice, 2003 – present
- Created and facilitated Mom’s Friendship Circle for new moms, 9 years
- Member and sponsor, 12-Step Groups, 24 years·
- Mom’s Friendship Circle (for new moms), Designer, Founder & Facilitator, 9 years
- Mother, 2000 to present
- Floral Designer
- Multimedia Assistant Producer
- Marketing for several graphic design firms
- Commercial Artist Representative·
- Sales representative, Interior Design Magazine
Education
- Master’s in Clinical Psychology, specialization in Applied Community Psychology, Antioch University, Los Angeles
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specialization in Marketing, California State University, Northridge
What to Expect
- We’ll focus on what matters most to you by co-creating a customized treatment plan
- Gain more perspective on what and who you want more of in your life
- Clarify your values and what is meaningful to you
- Experiment to find what works for you
- Bring more play and fun and positive emotions into your life
- Practice skills to make it easier to cope with life's demands.
- What I refer to as skills may include emotional balance by learning to regulate your nervous system, conflict resolution, healthy boundaries, Non-Violent Communication, mindfulness, self-compassion, intimacy and interpersonal skills.
- Check in on progress toward your goal(s) and update the plan as desired you wish.
- Reduce frequency of sessions, pause, or end therapy. To me, once a client, always a client. You are warmly welcomed to contact me at any time in the future to check in or address a new situation.
Languages
- English
