Dr. Michaela Hammer, LCSW

Dr. Michaela Hammer is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 35 years of practice. She focuses on relationships, grief, depression, anxiety, and intimacy-related issues, and she helps people navigate major life transitions. Her work often centers on practical steps that make everyday life more manageable.

Her approach is direct and person-centered. She listens and helps clients sort fact from myth about aging, memory, mood, and sexuality. She offers memory loss and cognitive functioning assessments and shares research and resources alongside her recommendations.

Dr. Hammer also supports people grieving nontraditional losses, including the death of a beloved pet. She notes that such losses can be deeply painful and often misunderstood, and she provides focused counseling and referrals when needed.

She has offered care in many settings, including offices, homes, schools, retirement communities, nursing homes, and hospitals. Her background includes setting up memory clinics and leading in-services on cultural awareness and aging issues.

Dr. Hammer draws on Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy. She frames therapy as a collaborative effort and tailors techniques to what each person needs in the moment.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and following the person's lead to build trust and clear goals. It helps when someone needs acceptance, empathy, and space to shape their own path. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers practical tools to change unhelpful patterns; it is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to identify goals and try techniques that fit their needs and preferences. Together they can adjust methods over time so the work stays relevant and useful.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also supports continuing care when life changes or mobility make in-person visits harder. Licensed professionals adapt these approaches to the online setting so therapy remains practical and focused on everyday improvements.