Exploring Life & Business with Michelle Parrella of Your Best Life Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Parrella.

Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve wanted to be a therapist since I was a kid. I’ve always been fascinated by people’s stories and had a real skill to see what the other side of healing and growth could look like for them. But, like many of us, my path wasn’t a straight line. The beginning of my career put me into professional growth and development in macro-level social work roles, doing big-picture systems work. It was meaningful work, but I craved that deeper one-on-one connection, the space where real openness and transformation happens. Eventually, I came back to that childhood dream, and now that I’m a therapist, I can honestly say I can’t imagine doing anything else. Therapy is my deepest passion. Helping people move from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to feeling calm, connected, and hopeful is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. I started my career with a deep passion for helping people navigate life’s challenges and find hope in the midst of difficulty, and my skills in social work easily transferred into the therapy room. Over the years, I noticed a pattern among the women I worked with – high-achievers who were outwardly successful but silently struggling with unresolved anxiety, trauma and a lack of true emotional connection with themselves. That realization inspired me to create a space where those conversations could happen without judgment and where healing could feel empowering.

I built my private practice, Your Best Life Therapy, around that mission. Today, I specialize in helping women entrepreneurs, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those navigating profound loss, particularly suicide bereavement, reconnect with themselves, heal past wounds, and create healthy boundaries to live the life they truly want. I offer therapy both online in California and Washington and in-person in Santa Monica, CA and my work is guided by a simple but powerful question: What if things could be different? I believe transformation is possible and my goal is to help my clients feel calmer, more connected, and more confident as they grow in their lives.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge I faced was mindset, something I also see in so many of my clients. For a long time, I carried beliefs that held me back: doubts about whether I could truly be an entrepreneur or run my own private practice. I had to let go of the idea that I needed everything to be perfect or that I had to have it all figured out before starting. Breaking through those limiting thoughts took a lot of inner work, but once I did, everything shifted. I stepped fully into this journey, and I can’t imagine ever turning back. Being on the other side of that struggle feels like such a privilege, and now, one of the greatest joys of my work is empowering other women to believe in themselves and create the lives they want and deserve.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Your Best Life Therapy is a private practice dedicated to helping high-achieving women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those navigating profound grief, especially suicide loss, heal and reconnect with themselves. I specialize in trauma therapy, with a focus on unresolved childhood experiences, anxiety, and creating healthy boundaries so clients can feel calmer, more confident, and deeply connected in their lives.

What sets my practice apart is the combination of deep compassion, evidence-based approaches like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and a belief that change doesn’t have to take forever. Many of my clients come in feeling stuck and overwhelmed and are often surprised by how quickly they can experience relief and transformation in just a few sessions. Together, we’re taking actionable steps to help clients experience foundational shifts as early as possible. My practice isn’t a place where I nod my head in silence or validate every feeling. We’re doing the hard work. I blend the evidence based practices of EMDR and ART with a social justice and feminist theory lens which helps me support clients holistically in reframing the way systems around them impact their lives and mental health.

I’m proud of the brand I’ve created for my private practice. I’m most proud of the message behind Your Best Life Therapy: What if things could be different? Because they can. I’m not just here to help people cope, I’m here to help them take actionable steps to thrive, build healthier relationships, and feel empowered in every area of their lives. Whether someone is looking for trauma recovery, grief support, or simply a safe place to explore who they are and what they want, Your Best Life Therapy is committed to walking alongside them on that journey.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’ve been fortunate to have incredible people supporting my dream well before I opened the doors of my private practice. One moment that stands out was when a dear friend and esteemed colleague said something that completely shifted my perspective. She told me, “If you don’t pursue your private practice, the world would be at a loss for what you have to offer.” That statement stopped me in my tracks. It was the most supportive thing anyone had ever said to me, and it played a big part in giving me the courage to finally take the leap and fully commit to building the practice I had always dreamed of.

Beyond that pivotal moment, my partner has been an unwavering source of encouragement, reminding me to keep going when doubt crept in. I’ve also built an incredible network of colleagues in this field who cheer me on, share their wisdom, and remind me that none of us do this work alone. Each of these relationships has played a role in where I am today, and I’m deeply grateful for the community that continues to inspire and support me.

Pricing:

• $300/session
• EMDR Intensives range from $2900 to $5000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yourbestlifetherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbestlifetherapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourbestlifetherapy/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-parrella/

Image Credits
Photo credit: Emily Winnie & Tim Denin