Michal Clayton, PhD

My approach to therapy is grounded in warmth, collaboration, and genuine curiosity about my clients' experiences. I believe that proven treatment approaches work best within a supportive relationship, and that feeling truly understood is often the first step toward meaningful change. I specialize in working with adults navigating anxiety, stress-related challenges, and life transitions, including grief and loss, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). My work draws from several evidence-based treatment approaches, such as cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies, which I tailor for each of my clients. My approach to therapy is based in an understanding that the communities we come from, the identities we hold, and the experiences we've lived all shape how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world. Taking time to understand what has been helpful and meaningful in your life alongside what has been painful or challenging is what allows evidence-based therapies to be most effective. My aim is to help clients develop a greater sense of direction and purpose in how they move through their lives, alongside a deeper understanding of and ease with themselves. I received my PhD in clinical psychology from Columbia University and completed my predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. I am currently accepting referrals for private practice, available both virtually and in person at my Belmont office (michalclayton.phd@gmail.com).