Michele LaPorte Downey is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Carlsbad since 1987. She is a Registered Nurse in New Mexico and California since 1977, holds an Associate's Degree in Science, a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, a Master's Degree in Counselor Education, and is a Master Addiction Specialist through the National Board of Addiction Examiners.
Michele has been involved in the field of Chemical Dependency since 1974. She has experience with inpatient and outpatient settings, both locked, secured and open, as a clinician, supervisor, and manager with a diversity of populations, with both medical and social model programs. She was Employee of the Year in 1984, at the Halcyon Center where she was the Head Nurse of all 4 Crisis Houses in the first mixed medical/social model programs in San Diego County. Since 1981, Michele has worked with children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric disturbances, setting up behavioral management systems and implementing family educational programs. She has assisted in the planning, training & implementation of several chemical dependency, psychiatric and dual diagnosis treatment units in both New Mexico and California, including Vista Hill, Mesa Vista, Charter, Sharp Cabrillo, Alvarado Parkway Institute, Vista San Diego Hospitals and Vista Sandia & Lovelace Bataan Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Michele has served on the Boards of Crossroads Women's Recovery House, North Coast Neighborhood Recovery Center, New Beginnings, PALM Problems of Addiction in Labor and Management, charter member of the Charter Hospital Private Practice Association as well as the former Vista Hill Hospital's Women's Program. She has been on the teaching faculty with Dr. Vernon Johnson as the Adolescent Intervention Specialist with the annual Intervention Symposium with the Johnson Institute at Scripp's Hospital as well as a former member of the Mc Donald Center Intervention Panel. She helped pioneer staff co-treatment privileges by MFT’s at several area hospitals. She participated in the Intervention video sponsored by “Project Drug Free” as consultant, which was shown on cablevision, which subsequently won the National Family Video Awards in 1991. She hosted and directed a video shown on Daniel's Cablevision called "Kids Who Do Drugs & Alcohol & Parents Who Share Their Stories". In 1991 and July 1992, she was quoted in HEALTH and PEOPLE magazines regarding her private practice on Family Intervention. Consulting to NBC Dateline Jane Pauley regarding intervention and eating disorders, & having been on several radio and TV programs, she completed an intervention at a community level in Imperial County with the County Office of Education. In a two-year period, she implemented a unique Student Assistance Program with the 14 school districts and 32 school sites as well as developed a newsletter. These core groups are continuing 10 years later. During those two years, she served as an instructor through UCSD Continuing Education Dept. on Student Assistance Programs for Teachers. Consulting to several area hospital management teams, Michele also develops workshops and seminars for businesses, schools, industry, hospitals, churches and private organizations. She was the Keynote Speaker in 1994 and a workshop presenter in 1996 on “Recognition and Treatment of Addictions” for the California Coalition of Nurse Practitioners. In 1998, she became a member of the International Alliance of Holistic Lawyers where she was the workshop speaker on “Community Intervention”. In 1996, she was the editor of the newsletter “Talking Hearts” and served as a co-facilitator along with author, Mary Hale, for workshops on dating, personal ads voicemail and dating in the 90’s. In 1999, she joined the international consulting team of "TEAM UP”.
She has created and implemented parenting workshops and recovery manuals for churches, schools and communities. She has co-authoring a book on Mood Disorders with Dr. Namir Damluji, who is Clinical Professor at UCSD Dept. of Psychiatry and Medical Director of the Damluji Research Center as a neurobiochemical psychiatrist/researcher. Their most recently published book is available on Amazon.com called “Feeling Terrific: 4 strategies for overcoming Depression using Mood Regulation Therapy” co-authored with Dr. Damluji and Renee Sievert, RN MFT who was named Nurse of the Year for San Diego in 2006. Michele continues to create workbooks and manuals and a series of ebooks soon for publication.
Most recently, she was the founder of West Coast Women's Health Collective in 2010. She continues to create Meditation and Visualization CD's and DVD's in conjunction with the Australian recording artists called "The Chill Sessions". She has an entire collection of CD's and DVD's ranging from relaxation and visualization spoken word, bi-naural beats for the brain, subliminal music for prosperity, anxiety, sleep and health. Also in this series are unique spoken journeys to help with centering, healing,and mindfullness with unique music not found anywhere else.
She has recently started teaching Life Coaching courses for those seeking to be a certified Life Coach in the MDM Method in June 2011. Owner of the "Outpatient Institute", she provides outpatient services to hospitals, clinics, recovery homes and for healthcare professionals in the field of mood disorders and addictions.
Member of the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists since 1987
Licensed as a Registered Nurse since 1977 in New Mexico and California. License is active in California currently
Master Addictions Therapist licensed through the National Board of Addiction Examiners of Forensic since Nov. 1996 and active.
Master Recovery Life Coach since 2011 through Steve G Jones, Hypnotherapy and active.
Founder of Recovery Life Coaching using the MDM method June 2011.
LMFT#23607, RN# K322756, MAC#B5303
In August 2010, I am proud to say that I have been chosen as "Business of the Month" from a business that I am truly honored to be chosen by...."Charmed On Cedros" is a multi-purpose salon in the heart of the Cedros Art District. Please check it out as www.charmedoncedros.com under Business of the Month tab!!!! and say hi to the owner, Charmaine, for me!!!!!
She says:
Featured Business Of The Month for August 2010 business of the month
"This month I would like to introduce to you my friend Michele Downey. I met Michele a few years ago through dance and we both connected.I recognized a specialness in Michele immediatly.She was so easy to talk with and had lots of wisdom and insight reguarding life situations.When I am around her I always feel a sense of calmness.Michele is a therapist for families affected by addictions and mood. This is a heavy challenge yet I would think very rewarding when you are a part of changing a persons life.I have to say that Michele is an authority in her field and yes it takes the right listening ear and a lot of experience to diagnose and help others in need.Michele has her own private practice here in Carlsbad and is an expert in treating not only addictions and mood but also marital and relationship issues.If you would like to know more about Michele and her practice, click on to her website www.micheledowney.com.
Michele, you truly are a gift to so many and a blessing to all of us whom you simply touch with your beautiful heart and spirit of who you are!
With Love and Gratitude,
Charmaine Matic Von Waldner"