Michelle began her career as a classroom teacher but soon discovered a special interest in wellbeing. In 2000 she quit teaching and established a harm prevention charity, called Youth Excel. Her days were filled with running small group support programs for girls ‘at risk’ of dropping out of education, and she soon became well known for successful outcomes with tweens and teenagers who did not flourish under more traditional forms of therapy.

Over the next 20 years, Youth Excel continued to grow and expand. The Youth Excel Centre was established – a multi-disciplinary clinic offering psychology, counselling, mentoring for children and teenagers. It was there that her team of twelves offered big-hearted, innovative services to over 150 families each week. Michelle personally had the privilege of working with many hundreds of young people and their families as a mentor.

Today Michelle uses her experience to write and speak in schools, community events and through media. Her best-selling parenting and children’s resources, including the highly popular Everyday Resilience Journal, have sold over 100 000 copies worldwide and have been translated into several languages.

Michelle has been termed the ‘teenage expert’ by the media and is sought after for her compassionate, and grounded advice. Her innovative work has been featured on The Today Show, Today Tonight and Channel 10 Morning News and Sky News, as well as countless print media including The Age, The Courier Mail and The Daily Telegraph.  You can hear Michelle on radio in Australia on a weekly basis.

Michelle is married to a wonderful man who works with her and has two young adult sons whom she couldn’t be prouder of. Australia is home, but you will find her wherever works takes her.