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Michele "Misha" James-Parham, LSW

Pronouns: they/he/elle/él

Ìyá Pittsburgh is excited for you to meet its Reproductive & Perinatal Social Worker, Therapist, & Support Group Facilitator!

Ready to schedule an appointment? Book here!

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Michele has served their community as a traditional community midwife since 1998. Over the years they began to work more with clients who had significant trauma related to pregnancy, birth, & sexual assault/abuse. While their expertise in this area became a real asset in their practice & community, it meant that the work they were doing with clients began to look more like therapy than midwifery-led perinatal care. In the Autumn of 2020, Michele decided to go back to college to pursue their social work degree and return to the community as a therapist.
 
Midwifery will always be a huge & important part of Michele's world, but they were holding “therapy” sessions for stuffed animals & primary school friends long before they ever attended a birth. Michele is thrilled to be primarily serving their community as a social worker and therapist now. While they have worked with all kinds of people from different backgrounds, their practice has always focused on providing full spectrum, affirming, and culturally appropriate care to LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and low-income people & families.

Michele está aprendiendo español y espera eventualmente ofrecer servicios a clientes hispanohablantes.
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Michele’s academic background consists of formal and informal education programs, degrees, and trainings for:
  • Peer Counselling for Alcohol & Substance Use & Recovery

  • Peer Counselling for Sexual Assault Survivors

  • Psychological Anthropology

  • Midwifery (out of hospital/community & home-based)

  • Women's & Gender Studies

  • Reflexology & Reiki

  • Folk & Clinical Herbalism

  • Jewish & Secular Chaplaincy (D.Div., honoris causa)

  • Comparative Religious Studies

  • Social Work

In their work and goal setting with clients, Michele utilises the following lenses, tools, and perspectives:

​Values in Care:

Lenses:

Tools & Interventions:

  • Internal Family Systems/“Parts Work”

  • Psychodynamic (client-led)

  • Relational

  • Mindfulness

  • Co-regulation

  • Reflective Inquiry

  • Harm Reduction

  • Storytelling

  • And more!

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While Michele appreciates & celebrates the unique identities & needs of all their clients, they have lived experience with the following:
  • Queer & Transgender/Nonbinary Experience

  • Multiethnic/Multiracial “Mixed” Experience

  • Neurodivergence (Autism, ADHD, & PDA)

  • Ethical Nonmonogamy & Relationship Anarchy

  • Alternative/Non-nuclear Family Structures

  • Kink & BDSM

  • Religious/Spiritual & Cultural Stigma & Trauma

  • Pregnancy Loss & Abortion​

  • Birth Trauma

  • Sexual Assault/Abuse Trauma

  • Substance Use & Recovery

  • Disordered Eating

  • Homelessness

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