Michelle Ferrel, MSW, LICSW

Michelle is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience in the field. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and has worked across a variety of settings, including substance use treatment, victims and perpetrators of sexual violence, and community-based services with a focus on Hispanic populations, military communities, and adolescents.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Michelle brings over seven years of experience providing care primarily in Spanish-speaking settings. Her background in immersion education and cross-cultural work means she’s not only attentive to language but also deeply attuned to the cultural nuances within the diverse Hispanic community. (Fun fact: in her substance use work, she discovered there are more than seven ways to say “hangover” in Spanish —each tied to a different country of origin!)

Michelle specializes in trauma work, particularly supporting individuals navigating life after disruption—whether it’s rebuilding trust, re-establishing boundaries, or managing new triggers. She is also passionate about working with grief and loss related to miscarriage and infertility, recovery from addiction, acculturation challenges, Christian counseling, and couples therapy. Whatever the source, change has a ripple effect—and therapy can be a space to grieve what was lost, make sense of what is, and imagine what’s next.

Her approach is person-centered and strengths-based, creating space for clients to learn, heal, and grow—recognizing that the journey of healing continues long after therapy ends. Michelle integrates a variety of evidence-based modalities including Somatic Experiencing, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Motivational Interviewing, tailoring the approach to each individual's unique needs and goals.

Outside the therapy room, Michelle enjoys spending time with loved ones, traveling, and being outdoors—whether it’s hiking in the summer or skiing in the winter. A creative at heart, she still prefers paper scrapbooking to digital and is always up for an adventure. One of her lifelong goals? Hiking in every U.S. National Park.

Michelle is currently accepting new in person and tele-health clients through Vital WorkLife and Spring Health EAP at this time.

Michelle is an independent contractor with RWC and operates as a separate entity. While providing services through our practice, Michelle retains full professional responsibility for clients and clinical work.