Michelle earned her certification as a Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) provider in 2020 and joined the Benson-Henry Institute staff in 2026. She works with patients individually and runs clinical groups teaching the SMART curriculum, a skill-building program that helps patients develop skills in a variety of mind body strategies that enhance wellness and resiliency.

A native of Wisconsin, Michelle earned her Master of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she became a nurse practitioner. She has practiced in a variety of healthcare settings, including at MGH as a critical care nurse and in private practice, deepening her understanding of the relationship between stress and her patients’ chronic conditions.

Throughout her career, she recognized that typical treatment protocols for recovery, healing and maintenance were medication/surgery focused, ignoring the powerful healing ability of one’s mind.