Michaela Malone (she/her)

MSW,LSW
Accepting Clients

You are safe here. She/Her Clinical Social Work Therapist, LSW

Licensed Master of Social Work in Lake Forest, IL

Services
  • Individual
  • Couples
  • Family
  • Child
  • Adolescent/Teen

About My Clients

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, it has been important to me throughout my career to work with this population. That being said, I have experience working with the LGBTQ+ community in many different arenas, including residential treatment, outpatient substance use, and private practice psychotherapy. As an EMDR provider, one of my areas of focus is on helping LGBTQ+ individuals process trauma, whether it is related to their gender/ sexuality, or otherwise.

My Background and Approach

I have experience working with the LGBTQ+ community in many different arenas, including residential treatment, outpatient substance use, and private practice psychotherapy. During my internship at UCAN residential treatment center, I helped provide case management for transgender youth in DCFS care who were receiving intensive mental health treatment. Prior to that, I was a substance use disorder counselor at an outpatient treatment center working with adult women, many of whom were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Currently I serve LGBTQ+ youth and adults as well as parents of LGBTQ+ youth (particularly parents of transgender children) on an outpatient basis as a private practice psychotherapist. 

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

My approach integrates somatic (body-based) practices, mindfulness, parts work, and DBT-informed skills to help you regulate emotions, improve relationships, and find steadiness in your daily life. You’re the expert of your own story — I’m here to walk beside you as you heal and grow.

Techniques I Use

Other Techniques
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Couples Counseling
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Motivational Interviewing

Issues I Treat

Other Issues
  • Abuse
  • Addiction
  • ADHD Therapists
  • Anxiety
  • Attachment
  • Body Image Issues
  • Burnout
  • Chronic Pain or Illness
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Divorce
  • Family Conflict
  • Gender Identity Therapy
  • Historical/ Intergenerational Trauma
  • Insomnia
  • LGBTQ-Friendly Therapists
  • Personality Disorders
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Self-Esteem
  • Teen Issues
  • Veterans/Military Service
  • Women's Issues
Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • Cigna
  • TRICARE
  • Blue Choice
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
  • Evernorth
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
  • Aetna PPO

At A Glance

  • Experience: 3 years of practice

Info

Email Michaela
225 East Deerpath Road
Suite 280
Lake Forest, IL 60045-1952

Reach out to Michaela