Michal Massoud, DMA

About Michal

I am currently pursuing my doctorate in Clinical Psychology at The Chicago School. Prior to joining the team at CCA, I worked in an outpatient hospital setting providing neuropsychological assessments to children and adolescents. I currently also work as a college counselor at Northeastern Illinois University. I hold a doctorate in musical arts from Northwestern University and have spent several years working in other fields before becoming a therapist.

My clinical interests include working with individuals experiencing difficulties with anxiety, mood, life transitions, identity formation, self-acceptance, and acculturation. I particularly enjoy working with young professionals navigating a big change in their life, whether it is moving to a new city, starting a new career, or moving to a place with a very different culture than one’s own.

In my life before psychology, I worked as a college instructor, a freelance performer, and an elementary school teacher. These experiences allow me to viscerally grasp the challenges faced by teachers and freelance workers. I have also lived in several countries over the years and have an intimate understanding of what it is like to move to a new culture and adjust to a new way of life. I draw on all these life experiences to help build a close, collaborative relationship with my clients.

One of my biggest priorities as a therapist is to make therapy accessible to individuals of all backgrounds. This means not only creating a warm and accepting space in which clients can feel supported and seen, but potentially exploring individuals’ experiences with power and oppression. This can also include a deeper examination of how our culture, religion, race, sexual identity, and more, intersect and shape our daily life. As an immigrant from the MENA region, I am interested in multicultural approaches within psychology, particularly strength-based approaches that seek to empower individuals from marginalized communities.