Mickayla Bedenian
LSW
What got you into therapy?
I wanted to be a helper ever since my own deep, personal loss in childhood. I
saw first hand that having support and connection can make a big difference in growth and healing. That desire to help was confirmed when friends and family struggled with mental health concerns as I got older, and I decided wanted to be part of the solution as opposed to part of the problem. I started practicing therapy to show others that they never have to fight their battles alone and to provide support and resources throughout life’s journeys.
What is your area of specialization and how long/how do you work with that
population/issue? Methods?
I specialize in working with children who are facing grief, whether from death or non-death loss, emotional dysregulation, and life changes. I come with a person-centered approach and use play and art to make the process easier. Throughout our time together, I want my clients to feel seen, understood, and cared for, and know that they are valuable and capable. I know that kids especially can fear that nobody understands them, so I use connection and rapport to show them that they aren’t doing this alone. My goal is to create a space where my clients can find balance and coping skills so they create their own system that works for them.
If someone were to ask you what they should know before going - what would you tell
them?
Grief, loss, change, and challenges can ebb and flow in intensity and impact, but help to form our identity and patterns. It’s through seasons of change and struggle that we often find growth and new or strengthened skills. Coming to therapy or putting your child in therapy is an opportunity to talk to someone whose whole goal is to listen, encourage, and give a neutral, safe space to face those highs and lows and move in the direction that feels right for your goals.
What has been your path (personal and professional)?
While going to school, I worked with kids between 8 weeks old to high school which provided me with a lot of hands-on experience with different people, life stages, and needs. After graduating, I obtained my social work license and started working in a non-profit grief organization focusing on children and families. I was able to honor the person I lost in my life by standing with others who were experiencing their own grief. Through all of it, I was really able to see how powerful young minds are and how much they have to carry sometimes without even realizing it. It just further solidified that this is where I want to be, supporting children and families so they don’t ever feel like they have to go through life alone.
Top Specialties
Emotional Disturbance
Peer Relationships
Marital and Premarital
Expertise
Anxiety
Adjustment
Coping skills
Depression
Divorce
Family conflict
Self-esteem
Stress
Trauma
On a personal level, I have come from my own story of growth in adversity. I
always have a tendency to find a “helper” role wherever I am because it truly
brings me joy. I too have come across points where I couldn’t manage
challenges on my own, so I sought out help from other professionals. I do my
best to implement the same skills and tools personally that I recommend to my
clients because I realize that it’s a big ask to expect someone to do something I
won’t do myself.
A fun fact about me is that for the last ten years I have almost always worn two
different colored socks (the brighter one always goes on my left foot).
If you were an emoji what would you
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