Pivot Collaborative
a trauma informed group practice
Michael Seidenfeld LPC
Fellow
TE
You’re not just a checklist of symptoms that need to be “fixed.”
Rooted in anti-oppressive, feminist, and existential theories, I work to build a bond with each client that focuses on better understanding how your identities, relationships, and lived experiences inform your outlook. Drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and person-centered techniques, we’ll empower you to take control of your narrative and strengthen your ability to weather the challenges life throws your way. My therapeutic approach incorporates authenticity, humility, and humor in hopes of comforting and affirming clients as they embark on their healing process. Therapy can potentially lead to more questions than answers, but it’s these questions that guide us towards powerful self-discovery and a richer existence.
I am passionate about working with people experiencing issues related to identity, life transitions, and creative/artistic journeys. There are constant external forces that impose rigid boundaries around what we believe is possible for ourselves, and reality can often turn out very different from what we had planned. Through open collaboration, I work with clients to undo the harm these boundaries may have caused and reframe experiences to highlight the inherent strength and resilience in each of us. I also have a special interest in examining the effects of socialization, particularly around gender and toxic masculinity, and help clients access improved emotional awareness and healthier vulnerability.
I received my Master’s of Education with distinction from DePaul University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois. My pre-clinical background is in sociology, which has helped inform my intersectional approach to therapy and the complex systems that influence our mental health and shape our reality.
Outside of therapy, I love to watch movies, try new recipes, and walk to my favorite coffee shops. I’m also a musician and have spent years playing in bands, recording, touring, and love going to local shows. More often than not, though, I’m probably at home trying to prevent my cat from knocking over something important.
Michael is provisionally licensed under supervision.