Therapeutic Coaching

On the surface, Coaching can be quite similar to therapy. They are both modalities that involve verbal dialogue intended to facilitate greater understanding, self-awareness, and successful achieving of goals. Both can be therapeutic, and both can be “skills” or outcome-based. Where they differ is the framework for the pacing, relationship between the practitioner and client, and focus of action.

Coaching is generally oriented toward the present moment, and with a focus on the work that occurs between sessions. It can be longer term but it doesn’t have to be. Depending on how close you are to finding solution and ready to make tangible changes, it may even be just a couple sessions. A distinction I make is that coaching is a supportive, therapeutic modality that offers a maximum of flexibility for us both to address a wide range of needs while encouraging direct action in the part of the client. In therapy, much of the “work” is actually happening in the session, in the context of a relationship.
In therapeutic coaching, the focus of action is what you do after we’re done meeting. Like many people trained as therapists, over time I have found myself and those I hold space for desiring a greater level of flexibility than psychotherapy offers. I bring a depth of knowledge and training from over 10 years as a practicing trauma therapist to this work that allows for skillful learning and dialogue about what may be holding you back, observing patterns, and challenging you to grow AND nurture yourself, while ultimately focusing on tangible changes in your life.

We can work at the pace and increment that works for you, whether that’s a few sessions, biweekly for several months, or weekly until you feel ready to stop.

You can start, and pause. You can leave, and come back.

You can seamlessly shift between different modalities, such as starting with coaching and later incorporating hypnosis or Breathwork. We can blend approaches together.

You can work with me even if a friend or family member has also seen me in the past (provided you are both comfortable- my work is always confidential).

You can book your appointment online HERE

I incorporate an anti-oppressive approach to all the work that I do, supporting you in living into your values and creating an expansive place for growth. I will challenge you with love, to explore areas of ambivalence, help you gain clarity on what really matters to you, and to take action in ways that also support those you hold dear and your community. I believe that satisfaction and contentment are a result of a life lived in alignment with your values, and I also hold space for acknowledging the systemic barriers that make it difficult to do this at times. My particular style also works dynamically with multiple levels of consciousness, allowing for deeper levels of change that are not merely behavioral.

Therapeutic coaching is especially helpful for those who have had successful therapy in the past, and are looking for some help but not sure if they “need therapy” again. It’s also a great option if you’re interested in the other holistic modalities I practice but you feel you would benefit from more verbal dialog/processing as well. I am connected to a wide network of therapists, and can assist in helping you find a therapist if we learn that it would be more supportive to you.

Our work can address a wide range of needs, but there are a few areas that hold my passion, interest, and experience: Trauma recovery, spiritual development, ethical and effective leadership, and mindful approaches to mental health.

Areas of Specialization

Trauma Recovery

There comes a time in a process of trauma healing, where you have a clear understanding of what happened and how it effects your life, and no longer want or need to be in therapy. And yet, especially for folks with complex trauma or attachment trauma, support is still needed from time to time because the impacts show up in new ways. One of the most challenging aspects of trauma recovery is getting beyond surviving and managing “symptoms” to actually thriving and enjoying life. Overwhelmingly I have observed that when individuals reach this phase, the work must be embodied and lived- spiritual even- and not only about an intellectual analysis. In fact focusing primarily on the trauma itself in the long-term can even forge a sense of feeling damaged or broken. Trauma recovery coaching is for folks who still want some space to talk things through, but with more of an emphasis on embodied practices and the work done outside of session to live a healthy and happy life. In the realm of coaching we have the flexibility to move seamlessly between different modalities, and you can choose the pacing and length of time we work together. My understanding of complex trauma developed through thousands of hours of trauma therapy creates a rich foundation for a non-traditional approach to trauma healing. You do not need to be in outside psychotherapy to work with me, however I will let you know if I believe you can benefit from additional support.

Spiritual development (earth-honoring spiritual practice and psychic awareness)

I hold a special place in my heart for working with those who hold space for others, and for those who are on the path of developing intuitive gifts. Sometimes this process can be overwhelming, confusing, and even scary. With expansion comes a need to develop ways of grounding and anchoring, to feel rooted even as your awareness is growing rapidly. Or perhaps you’re in a spiritual crisis, you’re feeling called toward energy work or earth honoring ways but you’re not really sure what that looks like for you. Or you come from a religious background that was harmful or no longer resonates, and you’re trying to process the overlap/tension in language and perspectives between animist spirituality and organized religion. Spiritual Development coaching is a collaborative experiential process of developing practices that work for you, rooted in sound psychological awareness and a critical lens towards spiritual bypassing. My approach to spiritual development avoids cultural appropriation and emphasizes connecting to the precolonial practices of your ancestry, as well as developing personal practices that can be applied in your own cultural context. Please be aware, my personal ancestry is European and oriented towards earth honoring practices of the UK region and Ukraine, however I deeply enjoy working cross-culturally. I make a point of being educated on a wide variety of spiritual practices and can make referrals to practitioners more knowledgeable and qualified than myself when appropriate.

Ethical and Effective Leadership

Over many years of working in private practice, an area of need that has surfaced repeatedly is how to effectively exist in a leadership, management or supervision role while also having high quality and ethical relationships. I have worked with dozens of individuals in a variety of sectors, including technology/IT, startups, journalism and media, and the entertainment industry at multiple high levels of management. The unique approach I bring to this work is finding the balance between having healthy relationships that are rooted in anti-oppressive practices while still meeting the needs of the job. I do this through critical analysis and understanding of the institutional structures and capitalist frameworks that create unhealthy hierarchal relationships, paired with a psychologically-informed approach to boundaries and rapport building. If you have a desire to live in alignment with anti-capitalist principles while existing in a management or executive role, this may be a coaching style that can help you thrive. Like in other area of my work, I especially enjoy working with LGBTQIA2S+ and femme folks, who face unique challenges in this space.

Mindful Approaches to Mental Health

Mindful practices are perhaps the most flexible, long-lasting, and effective strategies for managing mental health challenges. But they can also be presented as tools for efficiency, directed towards avoiding feelings, and divorced from their spiritual roots. My approach to learning and implementing mindful strategies is committed to honoring their spiritual contexts, and I do not teach anything that I do not personally practice. A mindful approach, ideally, should facilitate a greater range of emotional experience, along with an embodied capacity to tolerate those shifting states. In this perspective mental health is not about creating "stability" of mood, it is about creating flexibility, balance, and the ability to experience the full range of emotions in a healthy way. Another aspect of mindful practices is learning to cope with the existential questions and unknowns of life. Being in the present moment, having a rich and full experience of your life will inevitably be effected by the circumstances happening around you. In our work we will focus on expanding your perspective, rather than trying to narrow the experience to feeling positive all the time. Successful use of mindful practices allows us to connect deeply to ourselves and others, and gives us the resilience to navigate the ups and downs of life. Embodied practice is the foundation for this work.

Other Services

In addition to Therapeutic Coaching, Mikella has a holistic practice offering Energywork and Trancework. These alternative treatments can be an effective trauma-focused support in combination with your outside psychotherapy, or for those who want to focus more exclusively on unconscious and body-based work. For more information on alternative treatments please click here.

Mikella Millen, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT

Mikella (she/they) is a licensed Art Therapist, Therapeutic Coach, Hypnosis practitioner, and Reiki Master Teacher living and working on occupied Lenape land currently known as NYC. She has a passion for helping individuals and couples to recognize and cultivate their innate strengths, and to promote healing through mindful practices, insight, play and creative process. After graduating from New York University she worked in a variety of community-based, outpatient, acute care, and residential settings allowing her to develop expertise with diverse populations. Her focus is in providing LGBTQIA2+ affirming, and trauma-informed healing care for adults. Through over ten years of trauma-focused therapy she has found that many are in need of more flexible options for therapeutic support that have an expansive use of different practices to support healing. She also wishes to offer support to those who are further along in their healing journey and may have started to encounter the limits of ongoing psychotherapy. This has lead to a transition to providing Therapeutic Coaching, in addition to holistic modalities.

As a foundational aspect of her work, Mikella is committed to continually examining the ways that white supremacy, capitalism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and colonization manifest not only in our lived experiences, but how this can infiltrate the systems of mental health and wellness. As a white practitioner she holds the awareness of her impact in working with people with different identity locations, and for those who are comfortable working with a white practitioner she maintains a humbled commitment to integrating anti-racist practice into all aspects of this work to the best of her capacity.

Training and experience: Mikella has a Master's degree in Art Therapy form New York University and a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art from the School of Visual Arts. She has been a consultant and supervisor with Sanctuary for Families, and was the lead supervisor and coordinator for the Art Therapy internship program at Camp Good Grief from 2014-2020. Mikella has been a guest lecturer with New York University's Art Therapy program and Silver School of Social Work, and has presented professionally for numerous organizations in New York City including the McSilver Institute for Poverty, Policy & Research, Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, the Expressive Arts Therapy Summit, the NYC Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, and Dancing Dialogue. She has obtained additional training in Couples Therapy at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy. In 2017 and 2018 she expanded her training to include complementary therapies including Reiki, Breathwork, Dreamwork, Ericksonian Hypnosis, Integrative Hypnosis, and Integrative Coaching. Mikella has developed a unique style of blending different modalities to create a dynamic approach to healing work that works on the levels of the mind, body, and spirit. She currently trains psychotherapists in the use of reiki in psychotherapy practice.

A note about fees and sliding scale: I recognize that coaching can be a financial burden, and am strongly committed to making this work financially accessible while also honoring my capacity to hold space effectively and sufficiently caring for myself.
Individual sessions are generally the most expensive due to the time, preparation, and effort that goes into such targeted work; the full rate for Therapeutic Coaching is $175/ 55 minutes and there are a limited number of sliding scale sessions beginning at $100 which are accessible by using the coaching codes indicated on my booking site. If you are in need of sliding scale please read the instructions on my booking page and apply the appropriate codes. Full cost sessions help make it possible offer a sliding scale to those who need it, and so I ask that you consider this when scheduling a sliding scale appointment. BIPOC and trans/gnc folx may also utilize sliding scale appointments regardless of financial need.

Periodically certain appointments may become unavailable to new clients. The reason for limiting the number of appointments is because I take my responsibilities as space holder very seriously, and can only work with a certain number of individuals at a given time and offer the quality of care and attention that you deserve.

I offer holistic groups that are entirely sliding scale and donation, providing the greatest degree of financial access and may be a good option you are seeking support/community care. Packages and subscriptions are also available to reduce costs for those wishing to work together more consistently.