Dr. Michaela Hammer

Dr. Michaela Hammer is a licensed clinical social worker with 35 years of experience helping people through major life transitions. She focuses on practical steps people can use when facing relationship strain, grief, depression, anxiety, career decisions, and other changes. Dr. Hammer aims to separate myths from facts about aging, memory, and mood so clients can move forward with clearer expectations and renewed goals.

She describes transitions as moments that touch family, friendships, work, and community roles. Dr. Hammer offers memory loss and cognitive functioning assessments and notes that not all memory changes are permanent. When assessments point to questions, she provides research, resources, and ongoing support rather than presenting a diagnosis and walking away.

Grief work is a key focus, including counseling for the loss of companion animals. She says the loss of a pet can be devastating and often goes unrecognized by others, so she makes space for that grief alongside other forms of bereavement.

Her background includes work in offices, homes, schools, retirement communities, nursing homes, and hospitals. She has set up memory clinics, performed routine depression and anxiety assessments, and offered trainings on cultural awareness and aging issues. This range informs her practical approach with clients across many life stages.

Dr. Hammer emphasizes that each person is unique and that issues are not limited by age. She combines listening with clear information and resources, helping people find realistic next steps and regain a measure of control and dignity during difficult times.

How her approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy centers on listening and following the client's concerns. The therapist prioritizes the person's perspective, helping them name goals and decide next steps. This style helps with relationship worries, grief, and life transitions by keeping the work focused on what matters most to the client.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches practical strategies to change them. It is often used for depression, anxiety, stress, and some mood issues and can provide concrete tools to use between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss options, try methods that fit the client's goals, and adjust based on what helps. This is a collaborative process that respects the client's preferences and the problems they bring to therapy.

Confirm the current session options before booking, since formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow check-ins from work breaks or home. It can also support ongoing work between in-person visits and make follow-up appointments simpler to schedule.