I’m Michelle Whipple.
I’m a psychiatric physician assistant, educator, writer, and coach. For the past 14 years, I’ve worked in behavioral health with people trying to make their lives more functional, sustainable, and livable.
That perspective shapes the work I do here.
I’m especially interested in the gap between insight and change—the place where someone understands themselves, has done the therapy, maybe even tried medication, and is still struggling to make daily life work in a way that feels steady.
My background is in psychiatry, but the work I offer here is not therapy or medical treatment.
I’m a coach, psychiatric PA, writer, and educator.
For the past 14 years, I’ve worked in behavioral health with people trying to make their lives more functional, sustainable, and livable.
That perspective shapes the work I do here.
I’m especially interested in the gap between insight and change
—the place where someone understands themselves, has done the therapy, the meditation, maybe even tried medication, and is still struggling to make daily life work in a way that feels steady.
My background is in psychiatry, but the work I offer here is not therapy or medical treatment.
It’s thoughtful, practical support for people who are capable, self-aware, and tired of trying to force themselves into systems that don’t fit.
Outside of clinical work, I’ve spent years studying and practicing writing, meditation, movement, and other approaches that support self-understanding, discernment, and meaningful change.
How I Work
Rooted in Real Life
Not self-optimization for sport.
I’m interested in the kind of change that actually holds up in ordinary life—your energy, your home, your routines, your relationships, your work, your mind.
Behavioral Health Informed
Grounded, thoughtful, and psychologically literate.
My background in behavioral health means I bring depth, discernment, and respect for complexity—without turning coaching into therapy.
Small Shifts, Big Relief
I don’t believe in dramatic reinventions.
Most people don’t need a new personality. They need a more workable life structure, a little more honesty, and a way forward they can actually sustain.
A More Integrated Life
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s coherence.
I help people reconnect with their own inner clarity and build a life that feels less scattered, less performative, and more like their actual life.
If you’re here for coaching, you can learn more here
Essays on change, identity, and building a life that fits
A place for thoughtful writing on transition, mental health, personal growth, and the often unglamorous work of making a life feel more like your own.
“Michelle has a beautiful ability to draw out ones inner truth. She has walked with me in some of the darkest corners of my heart and she always brings a flashlight!”
“I love That I Would Be Free! I love her vulnerability and willingness to share her life lessons and experiences. Raw and Real!”
“I’ve been following That I Would Be Free since its beginning. Her writing allows me to see healing as it unfolds. Her coaching has gives me the ability to make actual, meaningful change in my life.”
If you’re tired of understanding yourself and still feeling stuck, let’s chat.
Book a free discovery session. Let’s see if it’s a fit.