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Dr. Michaela Hammer, LCSW

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

Michaela is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

4.5 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Michaela. View 10 reviews
Great news, Michaela is accepting new clients!
She is normally fully-booked.
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Florida, Kansas, and 1 more

Recent reviews

This therapy has really helped me get through a difficult period of my life.

Reviewed September 2024

Dr. Hammer, has been absolutely amazing. I was very stand-offish about doing therapy in general but she has made me feel so comfortable. She is very easy to talk to and absolutely wants the best outcome for you. I highly recommend Dr. Hammer.

Reviewed August 2024

More about Michaela

  • 35 years' experience
  • Female
  • LCSW, LSCSW

My specialty & love are helping individuals at transition points of their lives, with a focus from Adolescence to Mid-life and beyond.

These are times of dealing with many changes in one's life. These changes may include family, friends, and your role in community.

This is also a time when we are surrounded with "Transition Myths" i.e.; How we SHOULD be feeling, acting and thinking. Some of these are Memory Loss, Depression, Anxiety, Physical Fitness, Sexuality, and being Neurodivergent! My goals are to educate and separate myth from fact while helping YOU ease life's transitions so YOU can continue YOUR life with new hopes and dreams, respect and dignity. Each person is UNIQUE! Issues are NOT AGE SPECIFIC and can impact ANYONE at ANY age!

With advanced education & experience, I offer Memory Loss & Cognitive functioning assessments. Not all memory loss is permanent. Let me help you down this journey. And I promise, while some professionals may hand you a diagnosis and walk away, I will provide you with all the research and resources I have to offer and will help you look for more answers. People should never have to go through life and hardships alone.

One of my newer areas of focus, which was a great unmet need, has been providing counseling for those who have lost a "4-legged" family member. This is an area that I receive referrals not only from veterinarians but also family doctors and OB/GYNs, "I am referring Mrs. Smith as she recently lost her only child...her child was her 20 year old cat, Roxie..."

I offer counseling for Pet Grief & Loss. Some individuals have family members with 4 legs vs 2. Those losses are devastating as well and rarely understood by the general public.

I have been providing counseling to individuals, couples and families from many races, religions, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds for over 30 years. I work with preteens to those over 100 years young. I have provided therapy in my office, in individual homes, in schools and in retirement communities, nursing homes and hospitals. I have provided instructional in-services on cultural awareness and aging issues. I have set up memory clinics and performed routine depression and anxiety assessments. For me, helping people live better lives has always been what I am about. It is a gift I share every moment of every day.

As an older, more "SEASONED" therapist, I have been where many of you are and survived. It has not been easy. I can tell you that with each action comes not one but many reactions and in many areas.

My father was the highlight of not only my life but all the lives he interacted with. He was a teacher and elementary school principal. He saw everyone with the same lens and stuck up for the kids picked on. After school, he would give no charge swim lessons to neighborhood kids who were in need. He had cancer in his 30's and only had a 5% chance of beating it, back then, but he did. He lived till age 45 and died suddenly during a vacation with my mother and my little 7 year old brother. I was 25. Even though it was summer break and most teachers and principals were on vacation, the mortuary was standing room only, inside and out.

I have a little brother born when I was a senior in High School. Another highlight of my life. He was always athletic, going to the Hood River in Oregon, when he was a young teen, to compete in the Junior Windsurfing Olympics. He is now a full professor at a state college. He does research in cardiac and ultramarathons.

My sister, 18 months younger than I was born blue and had seizures all her life. She died suddenly of seizure and heart attack before the age of 50.

My mother was a highly educated strong woman who would never give up the fight. However after watching 2 husbands die, one suddenly in front of her, her youngest daughter die suddenly before she was 50 and then one by one, all of her other family members at home, Great Pyrenees and New Foundlands, died. After that, mom gave up the will to live and died within a few years of a broken heart (even though she would never admit it).

I divorced my husband after 50 years, I experienced many areas of stigma, prejudice, shame, loss of friends and family and many other areas of life we often take for granted.

Being married to 1 person for 50 years was not always easy, but we made it, just not to 51, good and not so good. I developed tools along the way to cope for me and us. Tools you may also need to develop for you and yours.

It was a journey that has been heart wrenching but I can guarantee you that this event(the divorce) like the other traumatic events in my life and other successes in life, they have been identified, dealt with. The constant, "ON THE JOB TRAINING" allows me to offer a more empathetic and knowledgeable therapist for my clients.

Not all relationships can be saved in the way we wish. Some need to be reevaluated and redefined. I am here to assist you in whatever way YOU CHOSE and support YOU IN YOUR DECISION.

And yes, I have gone to therapy to have a neu;tral third party to help me navigate my future courses. True, I have the formal education and life experiences as well as a "Dr's Bag" full of information and skills, but sometimes all of us need someone on the outside to truly listen, validate and help us navigate through the storms.

Take care and Keep in touch.

Dr Michaela Hammer

Specialties

Relationship issues Grief Depression Coping with life changes ADHD Stress Anxiety Family conflicts Trauma and abuse Intimacy-related issues Parenting issues Anger management Self esteem Career difficulties Bipolar disorder Aging and Geriatric Issues Autism and Asperger Syndrome Caregiver issues and stress Communication problems Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster Divorce and separation Emptiness Family of Origin Issues Hospice and End of Life Counseling Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Life purpose Midlife crisis Mood disorders Multicultural Concerns Panic disorder and panic attacks Post-traumatic stress Prejudice and Discrimination Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Sexual Dysfunction Sexuality Social anxiety and phobia Visually Impaired Women's issues Young Adult Issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Therapy

Licenses

Dr. Michaela Hammer's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1750472361.

  • LCSW · Florida · SW15412 · Expires March 2025
  • LSCSW · Kansas · LSCSW2122 · Expires July 2025
  • LCSW · New Mexico · C-11638 · Expires July 2026

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling allows you to receive care from a mental health practitioner via phone, video chat, or instant messaging. It is convenient for those who may have trouble getting to or would prefer not to have in-person therapy appointments. Starting at $65 per week, online counseling is generally more affordable than in-person counseling. A study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley found that online counseling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy while being more convenient, affordable, and accessible.

Reviews for Dr. Michaela Hammer

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

4.5

10 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Recommend Amazing Caring Comfortable Great Listens Professional Easy Fantastic Grateful

This therapy has really helped me get through a difficult period of my life.

Reviewed September 2024

Dr. Hammer, has been absolutely amazing. I was very stand-offish about doing therapy in general but she has made me feel so comfortable. She is very easy to talk to and absolutely wants the best outcome for you. I highly recommend Dr. Hammer.

Reviewed August 2024

A+ relatable, honest and frank. Everything I needed.

Reviewed August 2024

This therapist is kind, considerate, thoughtful, and smart. She works wonders!

Reviewed July 2024

Dr. Hammer has been an important part of my last few months as I have navigated major life changes. She is warm and caring and listens without judgment, offering insight and encouragement but is not afraid to ask tough questions too. I have enjoyed working with her.

Reviewed April 2024

This has been my first time in therapy of any kind. Dr. Hammer made me feel comfortable immediately. She is professional, understanding, and experienced. I’ll be forever grateful for her help when I needed it most.

Reviewed January 2024

Fantastic, professional and truly a gifted person. Very glad to have found her, many other therapists were not good fit- but she definitely is.

Reviewed November 2023

Even though this is a virtual app and therapy is from a distance, this has been a great and helpful experience and I highly recommend Dr. Hammer. She is most knowledgeable and caring!

Reviewed November 2023

She has been awesome

Reviewed September 2023

Dr. Hammer is amazing, she really listens and gives great advice on working through your feelings and anxious thoughts. I highly recommend her to anyone struggling mentally!

Reviewed August 2023

How was your experience with Michaela?

Frequently asked questions

Does Dr. Michaela Hammer offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Dr. Michaela Hammer works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does Dr. Michaela Hammer speak?

Dr. Michaela Hammer speaks English.

How many years of experience does Dr. Michaela Hammer have?

Dr. Michaela Hammer has 35 years of experience.

Where is Dr. Michaela Hammer licensed to practice?

Dr. Michaela Hammer is licensed to practice in Florida, Kansas, and New Mexico.

Does Dr. Michaela Hammer accept clients outside of the United States?

No, Dr. Michaela Hammer does not accept clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does Dr. Michaela Hammer offer?

Dr. Michaela Hammer offers clients Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

How can I communicate with Dr. Michaela Hammer?

Dr. Michaela Hammer can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with Dr. Michaela Hammer?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

And recovery is possible.

Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video

When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.