Michelle Starkey - Making a profound difference in the community she loves

"It is comforting to know you are not alone and tha t others can relate to what you're going through. For that p urpose, group therapy is indispensable." — Michelle Starkey

Story by Betsy O’Leary | Photography by Johnny Chauvin

Michelle Starkey is passionate about helping to improve the mental health of the local community. She has spent most of the last 10 years pushing herself to earn a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She received her degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2019 and completed a year-long certification in addiction from Louisiana Association of Substance Abuse Counselors and Trainers (LASACT) in 2020. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidence-based treatment that has proven to be very effective in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Since January 2021, Starkey has been working on a Ph.D. in Behavioral Health from Holy Cross University and is presently finishing her dissertation and will be graduating with her doctorate in December 2024.

After working as a psychotherapist for several years, Michelle decided it was time to launch a private practice and Imagine Healing Therapy(IHT) was born. IHT is located in downtown Hammond at 406 W. Morris Avenue, Suite C.

IHT provides a safe, confidential space for individuals to explore thoughts, feelings, and experiences through a holistic approach that integrates various therapeutic techniques tailored to individual’s needs. Whether dealing with anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, or addiction, IHT can help. Due to Michelle’s own path and personal struggles, she has found that teenagers and addiction are her personal wheelhouse. Michelle doesn’t stop there, she also serves individuals suffering from a wide array of mental health concerns as well as couples who struggle with communication.

Whether you’re seeking individual therapy or group therapy, Michelle offers both. Unlike individual talk therapy,

GroupWorkx is for those individuals who could benefit from the opportunity to share and discuss common concerns and explore solutions under the guidance of a trained psychotherapist in a group setting. GroupWorkx offers an innovative, collaborative approach for individuals with likeminded struggles in a supportive, non-judgmental space. For those who are unable to afford individual therapy, group therapy can be the perfect fit.

Michelle states, “It is comforting to know you are not alone and that others can relate to what you’re going through. For that purpose, group therapy is indispensable.”

GroupWorkx offers the following focus groups:

1. Strength in Numbers: Family & Friends of Those Struggling with Addiction

2. Freedom Fighters: For those Struggling with Addiction

3. Stronger Together: For Those with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, PTSD, and Grief

4. Breaking Codependency: Healing Negative Relationship Patterns

5. Self-Care Construction: The Empowerment of Self-Love

6. Surviving Teenagers: Parents/Guardians Discuss the Difficulties of Raising Teens

7. Struggles and Solutions: ADHD and Bipolar all-encompassing support and strategies

8. Helping the Helpers: Supporting Those Caring for Others

9. Coaching Couples:

Building Strong and Healthy Relationships Together

11. Ignition: Men Only

12. Not In A Box: A Healthy Space for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming

Insurance Accepted

Michelle accepts most major insurances at $120/hr. and also offers a cash option at a $1/minute rate for individual therapy. Group rates are $25 per person, per session.

SHE RUNS A NONPROFIT

As a way to give back to that community and provide a space for those who either do not fit into any of the 12-step boxes or seek an alternative, Michelle founded the 501c3 nonprofit group Wellness Empowerment (WE). WE is a free community-based support group designed to provide an interactive venue for health and wellness to help improve individual quality of life and the opportunity to connect with others seeking the same. WE meets every Tuesday evening at 6:00 in the old Hammond Library (108 S. Pine.)

HOW TO FIND HER

Those seeking to transform their lives can join Michelle through WE, Imagine Healing Therapy, or GroupWorkx.

For more information, call (985) 205-8822, email starkey@dr.com, or go online to imaginehealingtherapy.com, groupworkx.com, or wellnessempowerment.org.