Licensed Master Social Worker
Michelle Salinas is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) specializing in therapy for children, teens, and families, with particular expertise in addressing ADHD, anxiety, and attachment issues in the parent-child relationship, serving Bellaire, TX and the greater Houston area in-person and via telehealth throughout Texas.
Focus Areas & Specialties
- Children, teens, and families
- ADHD, anxiety, and attachment issues in the parent-child relationship
- Attachment-based caregiver interventions and positive parent training, equipping caregivers with practical tools to support their child’s individual therapy and strengthen the family unit
- Recovery from intimate partner violence
- Teen dating violence prevention and healthy relationship education for adolescents
- Trauma-informed care
Education & Training
- Master of Social Work, concentration in Clinical Social Work, Advanced Mental Health Practice, University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology, Queens College, City University of New York
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
- Mental Health First Aid Certified
- Trained in the Meditational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers to Mothers (MISC), including supervisor-level training
- Trained in play therapy, trauma-informed care, and parent coaching
Experience & Background
Michelle brings experience in providing individual and family therapy through evidence-based practices, conducting clinical assessments and diagnoses, and developing individualized treatment plans in collaboration with an interdisciplinary care team. Previously, as a Research Assistant and Clinician with the Mother-Child Resiliency Project, she delivered weekly caregiver interventions using the Meditational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers to Mothers (MISC) for families in a rehousing program supported by the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, and facilitated weekly Healing Circles for mothers navigating complex clinical challenges. She also served as an Education and Prevention Intern with The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, leading healthy relationship and teen dating violence workshops at middle, high, and alternative schools, and spent nearly two years as a facilitator of the RISE! curriculum, helping young women build emotional intelligence, financial literacy, and leadership skills.
Approach
Michelle works to create a safe, collaborative, judgment-free environment where both children and parents feel heard, supported, and equipped with the skills they need to thrive. She believes healing happens most effectively when the whole family is involved, using parent coaching and caregiver training to reinforce a child’s or teen’s individual work at home. She stays attentive to systemic factors that shape a family’s experience, and brings particular sensitivity to families navigating the aftermath of intimate partner violence. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Areas Served
- In-person at Bellaire Family Counseling, 5909 W Loop S #490, Bellaire, TX 77401, serving Bellaire, Meyerland, West University, Westbury, River Oaks, Memorial, Piney Point, and the greater Houston area (Monday-Friday)
- Telehealth available anywhere in the state of Texas (Monday-Friday)
Practical Details
- Currently accepting new clients
- Languages: English, Spanish
- Session days: Monday-Friday