Sue asks: Michael, you’re known for having some pretty famous ancestors, but the healing arts run deep in your family too, don’t they?
Michael answers: Yes, my dad in particular recognized my skills early on. He was a working man, not traditionally religious but definitely spiritual — one who just knew things. If he was particularly bothered by some ache or pain, he would say to my mother “Go and get the child.” I was about seven years of age or so, and I remember being able to make him feel better with a touch, and this, as you might imagine, helped me to feel quite special and different. But to me it was quite natural.

Going back a way, my father’s mother had healing gifts. She died when I was 7 and was a wonderful woman who knew how to make all kinds of concoctions and potions. No one taught her, she just knew what to do. In the Ireland of the 1930’s and 1940’s, visits to medical doctors were expensive and not easily available. So people would do what they could for each other, and she became well known. People would say, “Go and see Mrs. Millett.” and she would take care of them, help them feel better.

Sue asks: While your abilities came naturally, your interest in psychotherapy came by way of a more bumpy, more painful road.
Michael answers: Oh yes. I had my own issues… times of personal crisis when I turned to psychotherapy for help and healing. I was able to see the benefits this had in my own life in dealing with my own issues, and I came to recognize I had an intense interest in doing the same for others.

In fact, one of my own therapists, since retired, was very encouraging. She would say, “You would be wonderful at helping people.” I know that I’ve been so fortunate to have spent my life in the company of people who were very encouraging to me.

Sue asks:  In January 2007 you were named among London’s top 50 wellness gurus, but are you known outside the U.K.?
Michael answers: As a matter of fact, I am… thanks in great part to the website elevatedtherapy.com. In fact, 25% of my in person clients are non U.K. residents — people who fly in to London, book a hotel and schedule a half or full day session with me in person. I don’t know of another therapist with those numbers, and while privacy keeps me from revealing any famous names or specifics, I can tell you I have worked with celebrities and others you might know from both the U.K. and U.S. media.

Sue asks: What makes your approach to healing so different?
Michael answers: To me, the emotions are fundamental to healing and good health, and I use insights from psychology, holistic healthcare and spiritual wisdom in my work. My clients, and the issues they face, are very different… varied. You see it’s been my experience that all of us are picking up stuff as we go on – people hurt us, loved ones leave us, we face challenges or adversity – add to that the wounds we begin with and you can see why we all need help sometimes.

At the core of my approach is connecting with you and listening. I’m trying to get inside your space, respect your personal needs, build a rapport and work to develop trust between us. My ultimate goal is to empower you so that you have the tools to heal yourself and move forward to achieve your unique life purpose. Anyone can do this; you just need to know how.

Sue asks: You established an online presence early on, why was that?
Michael answers: It’s true I was one of the first therapists to have a website back in 1996 and 1997, when the Internet was really getting going. Now my site is one of the largest in the world in it`s field. I’m just fascinated by the Internet, that it gives us the ability to connect with people from all over the world right from the comfort of our own private spaces. It’s an amazing tool.

Sue asks: Are you more comfortable working in person, or by phone?
Michael answers: Either really. Some issues can be dealt with by phone, other work is very difficult, near impossible without seeing the client face to face. Luckily technology lets me see clients via video, so this helps a lot.
I do a good deal of my work in person, but I do have phone lines in U.S. and Australia where clients can dial a local number and I can speak to them from here. Paying for this type of call is a lot less expensive than international rates… so it helps with the cost.

Sue asks: So many therapists have an all or nothing attitude, but you seem to strike a balance between hard science, psychotherapy and the faith of intuition.
Michael answers: Hypocrates believed body and mind are united, and it’s my personal view that any therapist who is not taking this approach is going to be pretty stuck. Therapy and healing are more than just understanding the psychological theory and how to use some clever techniques. In my view there is this certainly, but there is also discipline, love and grace and the evolution of a person toward wholeness.

On a physical level, so many people have come to a one or the other mindset. If you think about it, modern medicine is all about isolating one cause of a disease and specifying a remedy. But I believe there’s more to it than that. Negative emotions can cause blockages within the body system, directing life energy away from parts of the body and allowing malfunction and disease to set in. Healing helps to re-direct these energies and promote health.

Sue asks: What has your work taught you?
Michael answers: Some great life lessons really. Live life versus planning to live life. Not obsessing about things you can’t control. And on a simpler level, going ahead and buying that CD or that jacket or something that brings you genuine pleasure. This can have great healing powers. Very powerful.
Of course on a more personal level, my work has taught me compassion and love, primarily for myself. It’s all about loving oneself and standing in one’s own truth, even if changes come.

Sue asks: Do you use your gifts in your personal life?
Michael answers: I do work on myself and heal myself of course, as well as people in my personal life, but I’ll admit this is a bit of a grey area. You need to balance the urge to be of service to others with your own needs for rest and recreation. After all, if you’re not good to yourself, you will be of little use to anyone else.

Sue asks: What do you love most about what you do?
Michael answers: Being of service. I’m happiest when I’m being who I am and living and expressing myself in my work. Sure it’s hard when a client can’t (or won’t) do things you teach to help empower them. It’s frustrating to see someone so locked into a victim mode that they project the image of therapist as savior because such codependency is the exact opposite of the empowerment we want. Not the way to go.

What I’m aiming for with my work is to provide empowerment to my clients… to offer true healing that comes from being able to see for yourself and do for yourself. Moving forward in life often requires you to do more for yourself than you are.

Sue asks: So are you saying that you can teach people, ordinary people, how to heal themselves?
Michael answers: Most definitely. Along with session work and all that goes on in that, there are energy therapy protocols, meditations and other techniques that can be taught. But the client has to be willing to use these techniques outside of our sessions to help themselves along the way. You can learn to control your negative emotions and come to a wonderful sense of empowerment.