Michelle Paris
LCSW, PEL
Founder,
Clinical Director
Master’s in Social Work
The University of Chicago
As a Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, Director, and Consultant for over 20 years, Michelle has pushed beyond traditional therapy methods to meet the needs of people searching for something more. Whether working with clients, supervisees, or programs, her approach is based on the integration of evidence-based methods, neuroscientific principles, and unconventional therapy techniques. While practicing in Los Angeles and now Chicago, she continued to advance this modality by developing programs and trainings for mental health and educational organizations. In 2016, she opened Patterns and Threads as a therapy and consultation practice designed to broaden how mental health is addressed and practiced at both an individual and systemic level.
I specialize in working with anyone who has come up against society’s idealized version of who we should be – whether it is because of who we are, how we think, or the path our lives have taken. I believe that where we stand from the center affects how we see the world and our place in it. I help clients to recognize how their unique perspective is both the root of their strengths and what they can learn to channel if it holds them back.
I specialize in working with creatives, parents, caregiving professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, and neurodivergent individuals and their families. My passion lies in helping clients discover who they are outside of how others define them, while also promoting systemic change through education, advocacy, supervision and consultation.
I have been called a “thrift store archeologist”, since one of my favorite things to do is search for anything unique or vintage and give it a new life. I also love trying any art form that sparks my interest, reading a little of everything, and spending time with my (supercool) family.
