Dr. Michaela Hammer, LCSW
Seasoned LCSW supporting life transitions and grief
- Memory assessments
- Pet grief counseling
- Support for transitions
About Dr. Michaela Hammer
Dr. Michaela Hammer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 35 years of experience helping people navigate major life transitions from adolescence through midlife and beyond. She focuses on the practical and emotional shifts that come with changing family roles, friendships, community involvement, aging, and neurodiversity, and she works to separate common myths about memory loss, depression, anxiety, sexuality, and cognitive changes from evidence-based understanding.
She offers memory loss and cognitive functioning assessments and emphasizes that not all memory changes are permanent. Rather than delivering a diagnosis and stepping away, she shares research and resources and partners with people to pursue further answers. Her practice prioritizes individualized care - acknowledging that each person is unique and that issues are not limited by age.
Dr. Hammer also provides specialized counseling for pet grief and loss, a service she developed in response to referrals from veterinarians, family physicians, and other health professionals. She recognizes that losing a four-legged family member can be deeply painful and often misunderstood by others.
Over her career she has provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families across diverse cultural, religious, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds, and she has worked with clients ranging from preteens to people over 100 years old. Her experience includes office-based care, in-home visits, school and retirement community work, nursing home and hospital services, cultural awareness training, memory clinic development, and routine depression and anxiety assessments.
Drawing on personal and professional experience with loss and resilience, she brings a seasoned, empathetic perspective to helping people find new hopes, dignity, and meaningful direction as they move through life changes.
She offers memory loss and cognitive functioning assessments and emphasizes that not all memory changes are permanent. Rather than delivering a diagnosis and stepping away, she shares research and resources and partners with people to pursue further answers. Her practice prioritizes individualized care - acknowledging that each person is unique and that issues are not limited by age.
Dr. Hammer also provides specialized counseling for pet grief and loss, a service she developed in response to referrals from veterinarians, family physicians, and other health professionals. She recognizes that losing a four-legged family member can be deeply painful and often misunderstood by others.
Over her career she has provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families across diverse cultural, religious, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds, and she has worked with clients ranging from preteens to people over 100 years old. Her experience includes office-based care, in-home visits, school and retirement community work, nursing home and hospital services, cultural awareness training, memory clinic development, and routine depression and anxiety assessments.
Drawing on personal and professional experience with loss and resilience, she brings a seasoned, empathetic perspective to helping people find new hopes, dignity, and meaningful direction as they move through life changes.
Areas of Expertise
Primary Focus
Also Specializes In
Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorder
Additional Focus Areas
Aging and geriatric issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Sexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaVisually impairedWomen's issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic Approach
Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Motivational Interviewing Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much experience does Dr. Michaela Hammer have?
Dr. Michaela Hammer has 35 years of experience.
Is Dr. Michaela Hammer a licensed therapist?
Yes. She holds the credential LCSW, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her license details are FL LCSW SW15412 and NM LCSW C-11638.
In which languages does Dr. Michaela Hammer provide therapy?
She provides therapy in English.
Where is Dr. Michaela Hammer located?
She is located in Florida.
How can I work with Dr. Michaela Hammer as my therapist?
You can work with Dr. Michaela Hammer through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
Does Dr. Michaela Hammer work with international clients?
Dr. Michaela Hammer does not currently work with international clients.
How much does therapy with Dr. Michaela Hammer cost?
The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as your location and the therapist's availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, click the "Start Therapy" button on this page.
How can I get started with therapy?
Getting started is quick and straightforward. Click the "Start Therapy" button and complete a short questionnaire that helps match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, you can then schedule your first session, which may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.
Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care
Dr. Hammer integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and motivational interviewing to meet a range of concerns. Client-centered therapy focuses on building a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship that honors each person’s experience and supports self-directed growth - it is helpful for grief, life transitions, and identity questions. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and develop practical strategies to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and mood disorders. Motivational interviewing is a collaborative conversational approach that helps people explore their values and find internal motivation to make meaningful changes, which can be useful for career shifts, parenting goals, or managing health-related behaviors.
Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dr. Hammer works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences and to tailor techniques that fit the individual situation. This partnership helps ensure the approach evolves as progress and priorities change.
Online therapy with Dr. Hammer is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing flexible scheduling and access from different locations. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care during busy life transitions, for those with mobility challenges, or when in-person visits are not convenient, while still connecting with licensed professionals and therapists who can provide ongoing support.
Ready to start therapy with Dr. Michaela Hammer?
Take the first step toward a better you.