Caitlin Riley, LMSW
CLINICAL THERAPIST
She/Her
Locations: Eastwood, Online
Specialties:
Chronic Illness + Alopecia
Anxiety + Depression
Trauma
College Students
Family of Origin Work
Family Conflict
Life Transitions
Works With: Adults
Email: criley@rootedcounselingmi.com
Hey There,
I BECAME A THERAPIST BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE CAN HEAL IN THE PRESENCE OF AN EMPATHETIC WITNESS.
My hope as a therapist is to meet you where you are at and hold all the things with you. I believe that everything we do is adaptive. We subconsciously find a way to help us navigate our world. It serves us for a time until it does not. I use a relational, strength based approach to identify those patterns that get in the way of how you truly want to feel.
I feel such privilege hearing your story and being a part of your journey. It takes so much courage to come to each and every session.
I specialize in grief & loss and chronic illness (including alopecia) in adults. I also have experience working with depression, anxiety, identity development, life transitions, family wounds and trauma.
In my nearly 15 years of experience, I have worked in a variety settings, including community mental health, adult foster care and a hospital doing medical social work. Outside of Rooted, I work at MSU’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services.
I am in the process of becoming certified as a Neuro Affective Relational Model (NARM) Therapist. This extensive training is rooted in the idea that our deepest desire and our biggest fear is connection (both to ourselves and others). When our caregivers in childhood cannot meet our needs, we do not stop relying on them because we need them to survive; instead we turn on ourselves. Through curious exploration and somatic work, we explore these subconscious, adaptive strategies to uncover how we truly want to feel. This training was developed for the treatment of Complex-PTSD but can be applied to a wide variety of concerns.
When I am not at work you can find me at home with my family and our beagle Honey. And spending time friends who have become family. I also enjoy (in no particular order): a good podcast, a mystery book, hikes in the woods, and being by a body of water. I grew up playing sports and still love to workout. I am new to crocheting and can only make a blanket. Music is an important part of my life, whether it be listening, singing or playing piano.
Education: I received my Masters in Social Work from University of Michigan and my Bachelors from Kalamazoo College in Anthropology, Sociology with a minor in Spanish.
