AS OWNER AND psychotherapist at Gibson & Associates, Michelle Gibson balances leadership, innovation and hands-on client care, and has taken her business from solo practice to a thriving group with 26 dedicated team members. From setting strategic visions and mentoring her team to maintaining a personal practice of about a dozen clients weekly, she is committed to fostering healing and growth. Passionate about mental health advocacy, she transformed personal challenges into a platform for change — building programs, workshops and initiatives that empower and inspire individuals to reclaim their narratives and pursue their dreams.
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What would you say is your single biggest business achievement, and why?
This is a tough one; it all feels like one step leads to another. If I were to choose one, it would be the ability to grow my practice from a solo business to taking on team members and seeing the potential in collaboration, building a community and dreaming together. Everything that has come after stems from this change.
“My biggest ambition is to offer myself and my daughter more than I had growing up and to be a great role model for her. I want her to see what women can accomplish, to dream big and to know she has me in her corner”
What is your biggest ambition?
My biggest ambition is to offer myself and my daughter more than I had growing up and to be a great role model for her. I want her to see what women can accomplish, to dream big and to know she has me in her corner. The more I live my dreams and values, the more space I hope to create for her to dream for herself.
Let’s say you’re marooned on a desert island — what’s the one thing you need with you?
A good and long book!
What’s one unexpected thing you like to tell people about your job?
The most common reaction I receive from people when I say I am a therapist is, ‘That must be so hard,’ and it can be. We hold space for the most painful human experiences, but we also assist our clients in finding a way through what they hold. There is so much hope and joy in what we do as well. People are often surprised when I say I get energy from my work.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Everything you need is within yourself. I spent so much time externally focused, and I wish I could let my younger self know to turn that gaze inward.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I don’t believe in guilty pleasures because I don’t feel all that guilty about it — but it is Taco Bell. The Cheesy Gordita Crunch is my go-to order, and it never disappoints me.
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