Dr. Michael Goddard
Clinical Psychologist
I'm a licensed clinical psychologist working with adolescents, adults, and families navigating anxiety, life transitions, and feeling stuck, adrift, or uncertain about direction and meaning. My work is about building insight and flexibility, helping you understand yourself with clarity, so you can meet whatever life brings with steadier footing.
My background
I trained at Antioch University New England and completed my clinical training at Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally recognized institute affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and dedicated to improving the lives of children, adolescents, and adults. Along the way, my clinical work has spanned hospitals, inpatient units, correctional settings, and community mental health, working with people at all stages of life and at some genuinely difficult points, from acute crisis to the slower work of everyday adjustment.
I see great value in developing insight and useful life narratives, paired with the ability to stay present and take action toward a more fulfilling life. I'm drawn to mindfulness-based approaches as well as approaches that build deeper insight. Both are important ingredients in developing greater flexibility and freedom.
I've also lived and worked in a number of countries across several continents, drawn to living and practicing outside the familiar. That experience has shaped a genuinely cross-cultural approach to my work. I don't assume a single cultural template for what a good life or a healthy family looks like, and I bring that same openness to clients navigating transitions, relocation, or life between cultures.
My therapeutic style
Sessions with me tend to be collaborative rather than tightly scripted. I bring structure when it's useful, but I value letting sessions unfold organically. Solutions in therapy aren't always immediately obvious, and it's important to leave room for understanding to grow instead of jumping to conclusions or answers too quickly. I consider myself warm and supportive, and I'll also be direct, sharing my observations plainly. Ultimately, I have great faith in each person's capacity to find their own solutions and direction. My role is to create a nonjudgmental container where insight can grow and decisions can be arrived at. Some sessions may focus on concrete skills, while others will feel more exploratory, depending on what's needed. Both are part of the same work, in service of growth and change.