Find grace in change.
I am Michelle, a Simon (see-maw) from Point Pleasant, New Jersey; a tiny town where I have the fondest memories of beach days and cruising along the coast in my Dad’s black Jeep Wrangler (which he still drives today, and I now have my own after putting his through hell for several years in high school and college).
As a whole family (parents, brother, and two sisters), we moved to Lafayette, Louisiana at the end of 2007. I attended Teurlings Catholic High School and then pursued the study of psychology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. From there, I earned my Bachelor’s in 2016 and my Master’s in 2018.
During my time in graduate school and for two years after, I taught courses at the University, which included Introductory, Developmental, and Adolescent psychology. My research was rooted in Adolescent Development & Sexuality, which I’ve presented at psychology conferences around the southwest. I have an ever evolving list of research interests otherwise, most of them stemming from my three favorite disorders (Dissociative Identity, Obsessive Compulsive, and Borderline) but also including questions about music cognition, memory, sleeping/sleep behaviors and dreaming, drugs, all sorts of neurological stuff, empathy, existential issues, and so on…
This is me at the House of Blues, New Orleans, where I have seen and even discovered some of my favorite bands to this day.
My music room! It gets loud in here.
In addition to teaching and research, my other passions include writing, music (listening to music at home, attending live music events, making music, learning about music), and fitness (particularly cycling and pilates).
My family
Probably the only picture of all of us where everyone’s eyes are open! From left to right: my parents Jim and Denise Simon, my little sister (and now pilates teacher) Allison Simon, my brother-in-law and chiropractor Damien and my go-to-for-everything older sister Christina Chaisson, my similar-brained older brother Jimmy Simon, and me. We’re only missing my lovely, sommelier sister-in-law Lindsay.
I value my family above all and adore my Dalmatian, Franklin, who is both my yin and my yang. He came into my life at a time of major change and has challenged me to be my best self every day since.
He is not the only Dalmatian in my life though…there is also Pongo and Perdita, both of whom I’ve lived with through the years. Their bold personalities and undying love and loyalty to their hoomans is what led me to Franklin.
My practice
My passion in coaching originated from teaching college students, particularly freshmen, where I found much fulfillment in being a guide in their transition to higher education: A trying period of adjustment and future-oriented decision making at a time that students typically feel like they don’t even know who they are yet.
Family law coaching, specifically, became an attractive opportunity to engage my passions and skill set, after conversing with Claire about the disconnect between family law proceedings and the personal trials that come up within. I empathize with individuals who are going through these major life changes that threaten their basic securities of home, family, and relationships, yet are expected to communicate well, to make good decisions, to stay on task, to remain the best Mom or Dad, to think about the future, to behave well, to show up, to take care of themselves.
It’s too much for one stressed out brain to handle. So, I became a Certified Divorce Coach to be informed and present for individuals going through this massive and holistic life transition.
My personal mission, then, is to be another brain, another heart, and another set of eyes and ears on duty for however they might be needed.
The end goal, no matter the situation, is insight and forward movement. To facilitate this, I strive to provide a comfortable space for people to get (and stay) in touch with their needs, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. With this awareness, people can find resources within and around themselves, allowing them to take on the tasks of their unique family law situation and navigate the changes and life thereafter, gracefully and with a hand to hold.