Michelle Bar-av – Accepting New Clients
Michelle Bar-av | Specialist in Somatic Healing, Women’s Transitions, & Resilience
Insurance: Aetna, Cigna, Johns Hopkins EHP, and Carefirst BCBS
Location: In-person (Columbia Office) and Virtual
Expertise in Somatic Wellness & The Mind-Body Connection
My name is Michelle, and I am a specialist in Somatic-Integrated Therapy. With over two decades of experience as a massage therapist, I possess a profound clinical understanding of how emotional stress and unresolved trauma manifest as physical symptoms, such as chronic pain, tension, and fatigue. I move beyond traditional talk therapy to help you listen to the “wisdom of the body,” addressing the emotional roots of physical distress to foster deep, lasting healing.
Clinical Focus: Women 40+ & Life Role Transitions
I specialize in supporting women aged 40 and older (but welcome ages 13 and up) as they navigate pivotal life moments that require courage and redirection. Whether you are navigating the transition to becoming an empty nester, a career change, or a divorce, I provide expert guidance through these “second act” shifts. I help my clients explore deeper psychodynamic patterns and early attachment styles to understand how their past influences their present resilience.
Expertise in High-Acuity Stress & Medical Trauma
My clinical work is deeply informed by my lived experience with high-stakes resilience. Having supported my youngest daughter through Stage IV cancer, I bring a specialized sensitivity to families and individuals navigating medical trauma and caregiver stress. I understand the profound courage it takes to remain vulnerable during times of extreme uncertainty and provide a safe, tenacious, and warm environment for processing these heavy seasons.
Identity, Spirituality, & Existential Growth
As a Jewish woman with a deep respect for human resilience, I am an expert in helping clients navigate identity-based prejudice and the emotional toll of antisemitism. I offer a culturally sensitive and inclusive space to explore spiritual and existential concerns, helping you find meaning and purpose amidst life’s challenges.
A Multimodal & Relational Approach
My therapy style is inquisitive and deeply relational. I integrate several evidence-based frameworks to tailor our work to your unique story:
Somatic Integration: Connecting physical sensations to emotional breakthroughs.
Attachment-Based Work: Strengthening how you show up in relationships.
Person-Centered Therapy: Ensuring you remain the lead architect of your own healing.
Psychodynamic & Interpersonal Therapy: Uncovering the deep-seated emotional patterns and relationship dynamics that shape your life.
Couples & Family Counseling: Facilitating connection and understanding within complex relational systems.
Teen Support (Ages 13+): Helping adolescents build a strong foundation of self-compassion and emotional regulation.
Primary Specializations
Somatic Symptoms & Mind-Body Healing
Women’s Life Transitions (Empty Nesting, Career, & Divorce)
Medical Trauma & Caregiver Resilience
Anxiety & Stress-Related Disorders
Spiritual Identity & Identity-Based Trauma
Relationship & Attachment Patterns
Just for Fun!
I am a creative at heart—I love sewing, live music, and performing in local community theater. I recently poured my love into sewing the chuppah (wedding canopy) for my daughter’s upcoming wedding. While I strive for a professional virtual environment, be warned: my cats have been known to make a guest appearance during sessions!
Are you ready to bridge the gap between your mind and body? Let’s work together to foster your unique resilience.