Molly Mickey, ASW

Why I became a therapist

So many things. First and foremost: lived experience. My parents divorced when I was 3, and I was in and out of therapy throughout my childhood for various family‑related reasons. As a teenager, I hated therapy — I didn’t want to talk about my feelings with a stranger.

As a young adult during COVID, while struggling with anxiety and depression, I decided to try therapy again, and it was truly transformative. I learned so much about myself and found ways to feel empowered by my emotions and past experiences, not ashamed of them. I became a therapist because I believe in the process, and I want to help others find what I found.

Why I love this work

Truly seeing people. Nothing is more fulfilling than noticing a client’s strengths and reflecting them back to them. Every person’s story is unique, and I love seeing how those strengths shape how clients move through their relationships and the world.

I get to learn my clients’ brains and support them as they navigate the messiness of life. The connection I build with clients — seeing the beauty they bring into every environment simply by being who they are — is indescribable.

Who I’m most drawn to supporting

I’m especially drawn to working with trauma. I find it meaningful to help clients get to the root of their experiences, since trauma often hides beneath our conscious awareness but continues to shape how we think, feel, and relate to others. I aim to create a safe, validating space where clients can begin to reprocess and heal. Through psychoeducation and compassionate exploration, I love witnessing how this work leads to empowerment and positive change in all areas of life, even ones clients didn’t initially realize were affected.

I’m also passionate about working with ADHD, depression, and anxiety. I’m deeply interested in how our brains and emotions interact, and how understanding that connection can bring both relief and self-acceptance. Psychoeducation is a key part of my approach: if you can name it, you can tame it. I strive to help clients better understand themselves, reduce shame, and find personalized strategies that make life’s challenges feel more manageable and fulfilling.

My therapy style (and how I balance warmth & accountability)

Flexible, curious, and strength‑based. Whether it’s the first or fiftieth session, I put the client in the driver’s seat. I may have ideas, but I follow how you show up that day. I don’t make assumptions or judgments — you’re the expert of your own story.

My goal is to create a space where clients feel safe showing up as their full, unfiltered selves. Therapy is about vulnerability and exploration. I want clients to know they can share their deepest, darkest thoughts without fear of judgment. I aim to provide an environment grounded in empathy, authenticity, and acceptance.

Warmth and accountability go together. My warmth creates the safety clients need to be honest with themselves, and that safety allows accountability to happen. I hold clients with empathy while gently challenging patterns that may be keeping them stuck.

Approaches & modalities I use

ACT, DBT, and CBT. I am actively pursuing more training in IFS and EFT (and more!). Overall, my approach is rooted in validation - we all act/feel the way we do for a valid reason, and empathy.

How we’ll begin

When beginning therapy with someone new, I’m intentional about leading with curiosity. What brought you to therapy? Have you tried it before—what did or didn’t work for you? What expectations and goals do you have? Who are the key people and events that have shaped your story? Alongside that curiosity, I bring a calm and welcoming presence to help create a sense of comfort and safety, so clients can share openly and begin the work of self-exploration and healing.

What therapy with me feels like

Clients often describe me as calm, curious, and grounding. They say they feel secure enough to explore what’s beneath the surface while also feeling supported throughout the process. I hold space for deep work but also bring warmth and lightness when it’s needed. I like to slow things down so clients can feel safe enough to notice what’s happening inside and explore it with curiosity and compassion.

What helps people heal

A willingness to be vulnerable. Of course, this comes with time and comfortability with your therapist (which is equally on me to create). Once we are able to be vulnerable, we can authentically explore all parts of ourselves, even the ones we try to avoid because they are so painful. Using the therapeutic space to safely explore our wounded parts, helps us heal, and move toward a way of life that is more fulfilling.

What I hope you take with you

I hope clients take away a greater sense of insight and self-awareness than when they began therapy. Life circumstances, relationships, jobs, interests, etc., all ebb and flow, but if we can understand the way we show up in various situations, we foster a fulfilling life of confidence, healthy relationships, safe emotional expression, and empowerment to tackle hard things, continuously grow, and facilitate compassion for ourselves and others.