About Michael Gelbart

About Michael Gelbart

I believe lasting healing begins when we slow down, become curious, and learn to stay present with our experience. From that grounded awareness, we can recognize and reshape what has been keeping us stuck, opening the way for greater freedom, vitality, and deeper connection—with ourselves and others.

Therapy with me is an active, collaborative process. Together, we explore the emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual dimensions of your life, while considering the influences of family, ancestry, culture, and the environments that have shaped you. I offer practical tools, thoughtful perspectives, and gentle challenges that support meaningful change.

I work with individuals and couples around intimacy and sexuality, couples communication, affair recovery, grief and loss, trauma healing, addiction recovery, shame, anxiety, ADHD-related overwhelm, and emotional regulation. My approach integrates trauma-informed therapy, nervous system awareness, embodied practices, mindfulness, and emotionally attuned communication.

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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 Becki C. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
A friend of mine referred me to Michael Gelbart for therapy at least 14 years ago, and he helped me through a very hard patch in my life. More recently, 3 years ago, when I was experiencing a family crisis, I went back to Michael, and he gave me so much support and courage while at the same time being uplifting. He has helped me find inner strength and courage, while also validating and supporting the parts of me that I sometimes miss.  I am filled with appreciation and gratitude for his support, and I recommend him highly.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 betty r. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Michael is an absolutely amazing therapist -- just next level.  I have been seeing him on and off for several years, but boosted it to weekly more recently when it became clear that I really needed it. Truly, he has helped me change my life in all sorts of ways.  He is engaged, shares his insights, reframes my less-than helpful stories, and supports my long-term health. I cannot say enough good things about him. What a gem. Thank you, Michael.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Stephen D. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
I have had two occasions in my life where I felt I needed some outside help to help me sort out and recognize what changes I needed to make to become a more patient, giving and  loving man, and to open up and be more in touch with the world around me. I had an immediate connection with Michael, he has a good sense of humor and his office creates a positive and relaxed atmosphere conducive to open and honest discussion. He has amazing listening skills and he impressed me with his ability to recall statements I made that I considered insignificant but he felt were topics of discussion, it proved to me that he was totally in the moment with me through the whole session.  I very much enjoyed my time with him and it feels good knowing I have him as a friendly resource if needed again.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Allison A. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
I found Michael after searching for a somatic therapist on the advice of a family member. Though I didn't really know exactly what that meant, I was curious about the impact somatic therapy had in her life and wanted to give it a try. My husband and I worked with Michael for most of 2024 and it was a very important experience for us both as a couple and as individuals. 

For some time, I would go in with a mental list of things I wanted to work on with my husband, and would sometimes find myself blurting them out at the end of the session because I felt I hadn't had an opportunity to bring them up earlier. 

As we worked together more, I realized Michael's gift to us was slowing us down physically and mentally (somatic therapy ;)) to parse out issues into smaller, more manageable portions while teaching us more respectful communication skills in the process. The "what" began to matter less as we focused more on the "how" and were able to implement some of these new skills in our daily lives. I found myself less likely to save my grievances for therapy as we became more equipped to handle our issues on our own.

Michael also helped us address ancestral trauma and patterns, to learn more about each other and ourselves and the ways we bring our childhood programming into all our relationships. 

Michael's office is a haven - a large, sunny, comfortable space with multiple seating options and places to move around if needed. We always felt at ease there and this certainly helped us along in our progress.

I've referred Michael to friends and they have been equally impacted by him and his approach. If you're looking for a couples' therapist who will shake things up, offer a deeply grounded yet spiritual approach to human relationships, and definitely not sit idly by while you and your partner go at each other, then look so further.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Dori G. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
I first found Michael roughly a decade ago because I was looking for a clinician well-versed in PTSD and childhood trauma. I didn't want someone to just quietly listen for an hour, only pipe up to ask a generic question here or there or to simply announce the session was over. I was looking for a growth-minded therapist who was engaged and willing to offer insight, strategies, and a jumping-off point for me to continue to learn and take the healing further on my own outside our meetings. 

Michael is just such a therapist. 

Within our first few sessions he had employed the EMDR technique (including use of an EMDR hand-held bilateral stimulation unit) to enable me to successfully process an early traumatic experience I'd struggled with for decades. Later on, he used the same EMDR treatment modality to help me overcome the painful memories of a sudden late-term pregnancy loss. 

Before Michael's treatment, I couldn't even think about these traumatic events - let alone try to speak of them - without almost immediately dissolving in tears. As a strong, independent person, that was not acceptable to me. So I just chose to keep those memories bottled away. Sure, on the surface I was functioning well in the outside world... but that is not the way to truly heal. Michael showed me that. With his guidance and EMDR, I progressed surprisingly quickly to the point where I can talk about those traumas without emotional trigger - no tears. The events no longer have any power over me. They are just simply history. 

I'm still amazed at the progress! And as a student of science and an initial skeptic of EMDR, I am so thankful I kept an open mind and had such an intelligent, rational clinician like Michael administer the technique.

 Pretty early on in my sessions with Michael,  I began to consider him more of a "life coach." I used to scoff at that term, but now I get it. I had come to him seeking a therapist to address very specific issues, and he had performed admirably. In theory, I could have just terminated treatment at that point because I did feel healed! But I consistently got so much value from the sessions; he's helped me achieve growth professionally, academically, and as a parent. And let me be clear - he doesn't TELL you what to do or simply rattle off jargonic, new age advice. He guides YOU through engaging conversation toward your own self-discovery. He's a trusted consigliere, a curator of credible wellness info, an astute business consultant. 

Every time I leave a session I am inspired in some way: 
- my curiosity is piqued by a new area of research
- he's gently coached me toward a new plan of action
- I have a new book, exercise, or experience recommendation
- I've had an epiphany - a shift in perspective. His practice name is aptly named, indeed.

And thank goodness I stuck with him, because he's subsequently helped me navigate through a divorce along with the aftermath of a debilitating long-term injury. 

It's not just me: he's been able to assist two other family members - a male and a female - effectively manage their own difficult patches. When they discuss the efficacy of his treatment, they gush about him as much as I do! And I was delighted to learn that Michael deals equally well with science/tech nerds like me, artistic/creative types, neurodivergent/ADHD patients - you name it. He's an active listener. He tailors his approach to you in your authentic self. 

So here's wishing you success and healing in whatever area of your life that brought you here to read this review. 

And thank you, Michael. Your coaching has been a pivotal and profound gift in my life.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kristen R. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
I cannot recommend Michael enough! From our very first session, I felt heard, understood, and supported. He creates such a warm and non-judgmental space where I feel comfortable opening up. Michael has an incredible ability to ask insightful questions and guide me toward meaningful breakthroughs. He is able to get to the core of my challenges which is instrumental in my healing process. This is something I did not experience with other therapists over the years. 

Thanks to Michael's expertise and empathetic approach, I've gained tools to manage my challenges and feel more confident navigating life. Each session leaves me feeling empowered and hopeful. If you're looking for a compassionate and skilled therapist, Michael is the one to see. I am so grateful I was lucky enough to find him. He's a life-changer, sincerely.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Wendy W. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Michael is a wonderful therapist.  He really helped my husband and I navigate the difficulty of adding our second and third child in our busy, neurodiverse family.  Marriage is hard, especially when you grew up with poor modeling.  We have a complex family and our dynamics are probably pretty irregular, but Michael always made us feel comfortable and at ease.  I loved that he gives tangible advice, and doesn't just nod along.  He also does EMDR which is magic for those of us with trauma and PTSD.  Highly doubt our marriage would have made it without his help.  Thank you Michael!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Ivana G. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Dr. Gelbart brought back joy to our relationship with my partner. Helped us understand each other, our backgrounds that shaped us to the people we were. Helped us with techniques to improve our communication. We couldn't thank him enough!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Anna B. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Michael is a very special therapist. I am so lucky to have found him. Kind, funny, smart, he has been a deeply important part of my healing journey. I don't know how I would have been able to navigate some of the toughest times of my life without him.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kyle P. 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Incredibly helpful + compassionate therapist. I feel lucky to be able to work with him.
  
 
  
 
 
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