ABOUT SOMA COUNSELING & WELLNESS
Counseling That
Considers the Whole of
Your Experience
You may be considering counseling because you feel overwhelmed, emotionally depleted, or caught in patterns that have become difficult to change on your own. Perhaps anxiety makes it hard to rest, depression has left you feeling disconnected from yourself, or you are carrying the weight of relationships, responsibilities, and experiences that no longer feel manageable. You may understand what is happening intellectually but still find yourself responding in the same familiar ways.
Whatever brings you here, you deserve a place where your concerns are understood within the full context of your life- not reduced to a symptom or viewed in isolation.
At Soma Counseling and Wellness, I provide individual, couples, teen and family counseling in Peachtree City, Georgia. Together we explore the experiences, relationships, and patterns influencing how you feel, respond to stress, view yourself, and connect with others.
Looking Beyond the Immediate Problem
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am trained to consider concerns within the context of relationships, families, personal history, and life experiences.
Even when I am working with one person, I pay attention to the larger systems surrounding them. The ways we cope, communicate, protect ourselves, and respond to conflict often developed for understandable reasons. Therapy can help uncover those reasons while creating space for healthier and more intentional ways of responding.
This perspective is especially valuable for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, caregiving stress, relationship concerns - as well couples caught in recurring conflict, families struggling to communicate, and trying to understand why the same emotional or relational patterns continue to surface.
A Whole-Person Approach to Counseling
The word soma refers to the body living in its wholeness. It reflects my belief that emotional well-being cannot be separated from our relationships, histories, environments, or the ways our bodies respond to stress.
My work brings together emotional insight, relational understanding, research-based counseling models, and awareness of the nervous system. This can help you recognize not only what you think and feel, but also how stress, fear, disconnection, and safety are experienced throughout the body.
Conversation remains central to the counseling process. When it feels appropriate and a client is interested, therapy may also include breath, gentle movement, grounding, or body-based awareness. These practices are always optional and are used to complement—not replace—the work we do together.
Meet Michelle Rathburn
FOUNDER
YOUR THERAPIST
I'm Michelle Rathburn, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I work with adults, couples, teens, and families facing concerns such as anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, relationship conflict, emotional disconnection, betrayal, and challenging family dynamics. I have a particular interest in helping people understand what is happening beneath recurring emotional and relational patterns so they can respond with greater awareness and intention.
My work My training and education in yoga uniquely informs my clinical approach, integrating principles of mindfulness and somatic psychotherapy to promote holistic healing and self-awareness in the individuals I work with.
I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from The University of San Diego (2001) and a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy with a Certification in Medical Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University (2007). I am trained in Gottman Method Couples Therapy as a Level 2 practitioner and 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with specialized training in prenatal yoga and yoga for mental health.
I was raised in Southern California and after several moves around the country, I am grateful to call Georgia my home with my husband, a Navy Veteran, our two children and family dogs Annie & Riley . When I’m not in session I enjoy creating memories with my family, playing tennis, paddle boarding with friends and cheering for the Atlanta Braves. My faith in God keeps me grounded, my work keeps me inspired, and I find true joy in guiding others toward lives rooted in presence, purpose, and genuine connection.
Healing isn't only about gaining insight—it's also about noticing how your body responds to stress, relationships, and life's experiences. By exploring the connection between the mind, body, and nervous system, therapy can become a space to increase awareness, strengthen regulation, and support meaningful, lasting growth. This understanding inspired me to thoughtfully integrate yoga into my clinical work, allowing me to offer personalized practices that support nervous system regulation and complement the therapeutic process for clients who choose to incorporate yoga into their healing journey
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.”
BESSEL VAN DER KOLK, MD