About Me
Hi! I’m Dr. Michelle Pearce.
I’m committed to helping people thrive in their mind, body, spirit, emotions, and relationships.
Clinical Psychologist
Board Certified Coach
University Professor
Business Consultant
Supervisor
Researcher
Published Author
I’m honored to wear a number of professional hats that allow me to embody my life mission.
I’m a clinical psychologist licensed to practice in Maryland. I’ve been engaging in clinical practice for over two decades and am currently working with clients virtually through Safe Harbor Behavioral Care. In addition to seeing individual clients and couples for psychotherapy, I also enjoy supervising up-and-coming therapists and providing consultation for mental health providers.
I received my Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Yale University. I then completed my internship and two post-doctoral fellowships at Duke University Medical Center. The first post-doc was in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the second was in Spirituality and Health through the Duke Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health. My expertise is in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and I’m also certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy.
I’m also a board-certified coach certified by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). I completed my coaching training with the Institute for Life Coach Training with a distinction in health and wellness coaching. My extensive clinical experience allows me to focus my work with my coaching clients on issues beyond just health.
My goal as a coach is to help you create the thriving, connected, fulfilled life you desire and deserve. I use my training in clinical psychology to inform my work as a coach, and my training in coaching to inform my work as a psychologist. It’s a nice synergy and a win-win for all of my clients. I also created and direct the Professional Development Coaching program for faculty at my university and provide group coaching programs for business organizations.
A third hat I wear is that of an academic. I’m a Professor in the Graduate School at the University of Maryland, Baltimore where I teach, direct the Integrative Health and Wellness online graduate certificate program, conduct research, speak at conferences, and write peer-reviewed articles.
In my research, I study the relationship between religion/spirituality, coping, and health. Specifically, I develop and empirically test spiritually integrated mental health treatments. I’m passionate about helping mental health providers and trainees develop spiritual competencies, so that they can assess and address spiritual issues with their clients. To this end, I’ve created online training programs for mental health professionals who want to integrate spirituality into their clinical work. Check out My Courses under Resources for more information!
Finally, I’m an author. My dream as a little girl was to write a book. I’m delighted that I’ve been able to write two books and co-author a third. In an effort to help more people learn about and receive spiritually integrated therapy, I published a book called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Christians with Depression: A Practical, Tool-Based Primer. Then, I co-authored a book called Religion and Recovery from PTSD.
My latest book provides practical tools and wisdom for transforming and thriving in adversity and loss. It’s called Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity. In the book, I share my clinical expertise, my own journey through the dark, and inspiring stories of other Night Bloomers to help you learn how to heal and transform your life not in spite of your difficult times, but because of them.
Transforming Through Adversity
One of my areas of expertise that I’ve written about extensively is helping people to transform and thrive through adversity. I call the process “becoming a Night Bloomer.” The dark times in our lives can be powerful opportunities to become more than we were before the challenge arrived. We don’t wish for these dark times, but we can use them to propel us forward in life in ways that were not possible without the challenge. I can help you move through the adversity and the feelings of grief and loss and move into healing, purpose, and growth.
Click here to learn more about what it means to be a Night Bloomer and the book, Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity.