About Me

My name is Michelle Keough. I am the owner and sole operator of Brave Beginnings Counselling Services. I am a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Clinical Social Work. I completed both Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees from University of Calgary. In addition, I have completed a Bachelors of Arts degree and a Certificate in Criminology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. I grew up on the east coast in Newfoundland and moved to Calgary to pursue my education in clinical social work. Throughout my years of university my passion has been in the counselling sector of social work. I am fascinated with the human mind and our ability to overcome adversity.

I have been working in the counselling field since 2011. I am passionate working with couples and adults. I have completed thousands of counselling sessions with adults, couples, adolescents ranging from various mental health issues. The majority of my experience in counselling comes from working in the non-profit field. I have extensive training in the areas of depression, anxiety and couples counselling. I have trained alongside some of the leading experts in the mental health field including Sue JohMichael Yapko, Scott Miller, the Gottman Institute and the Couples Institute.

As a therapist, I strive to help clients find their inner strength even in times when it is most difficult to access that strength. Taking the first step to reach out for help when you are going through a difficult time takes a lot of courage and bravery. I believe that the art of counselling begins with the conversation and the connection between the therapist and the client. I strive to build that connection with my clients the first interaction I have with you. I truly feel so honoured when clients invite me along their journey.

You can expect to be an active participant in the counselling room. I encourage feedback and checking in regarding the treatment plan in place. You can expect me to help guide and direct you towards the changes you are wanting to make. I utilize many different therapy approaches that best suit my clients needs. The most common therapy approaches I draw from are-

Solutions focused therapy
Strengthen based
Mindfulness
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Emotionally focused therapy
Dialectical behavioural therapy
Hypnosis therapy

With couples I tend to used Emotionally Eocused Therapy, Gottman Institute Methods, and the Couples Institute Developmental Model.