Center for Growth and Connection

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United States
Pasadena, CA
Center for Growth and Connection

Helping individuals and couples in CA, VA, and DC who need someone to show them a different way forward.

Michelle Market, LPC, has more than 15 years in the counseling field. She specializes in treating eating disorders and trauma recovery. Michelle is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and is certified in EMDR. To contact Michelle Market, you can email her at mmarketlpc@gmail.com or call 703-597-7869. Michelle Cantrell, M.Ed., is a Resident in Counseling working towards licensure in the state of

Virginia. Michelle's areas of speciality are eating disorders, trauma, low self-esteem, and unhealthy relationship patterns. To contact Michelle, you can email her at mdc@michellecantrell.com or call 571-969-4393.

07/18/2025

Gray divorce isn’t just about endings. It’s about coming home to yourself.

My clients tell me, “I thought this stage of life would look different.”

They carry shame for leaving, or for being left. They second-guess their needs. They wonder if it’s too late to start over —

It’s not.

This season of life holds so much possibility. You are not too old. Too late. Too broken.

You are becoming more you than ever.

If this resonates, I’d love to support you. Book a free consultation with our team and let’s talk!

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07/15/2025

You’re in a relationship, but it feels like you’re the only one holding it together.

You go to dinners, share a home, raise kids —
but something vital is missing.

You crave emotional closeness —
but get logistics, sarcasm, or silence instead.

This kind of loneliness is real. And it hurts more than being solo ever did.

You don’t have to keep pretending everything’s fine.

We help individuals and couples rebuild connection — or get honest about why it’s not working.

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07/07/2025

It’s not too much to want…

…to be someone’s priority,
not their afterthought.

…to feel emotionally safe,
not anxious, confused, or alone.

…to be chosen, cherished, and deeply known,
without having to earn it by shrinking yourself.

You deserve a relationship where your needs are safe to name.

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06/27/2025

Gray divorce is a heartbreak people don’t talk about enough.

The grief can feel invisible – especially when everyone around you is saying “you’re better off” or “you’re free now.” But no one sees the middle-of-the-night panic, the weight of shared memories – the loss of what could have been.

At the Center for Growth & Connection, we understand what it means to lose your partner and the version of yourself you were in that relationship. We can help you process the pain without losing yourself to it – so you can step into what’s next, with clarity and wholeness.

Starting over in your 40s, 50s, or beyond isn’t a failure. It’s a reclamation.

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06/24/2025

How is it that we can feel like we’re doing too much in our relationships – while still feeling like it’s not enough?

High functioning anxiety can make connection feel like a tightrope walk: constantly attuned, always bracing, never quite at ease.

The “high-functioning” part means your struggles are often invisible to others, but that doesn’t make them any less real. Just because you’re “getting by” doesn’t mean you don’t need support.

Relationships don’t have to feel this hard.

If you think you might be dealing with high-functioning anxiety, we’re here to support you. Book a free consult with one of our relationship therapists today. 🔗 Link on our page.

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06/20/2025

If you're unlearning chaos and beginning to crave calm, this is for you. You’re finally recognizing what you’ve always needed.

Real emotional nourishment isn't dramatic or confusing. It’s steady. Reaching. Safe. Familiar in the way you wish love had always felt.

But when you’ve spent years walking on eggshells or feeling like love had to be earned, receiving something secure might feel... foreign. Even uncomfortable.

Therapy can help you grieve the relationships that couldn’t nourish you — while building the capacity to receive the ones that can.

Click the link in our profile to schedule a free consultation with one of our therapists today ❤️

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06/18/2025

Secure attachment isn’t the absence of fear. It’s the presence of safety.

When we trust that our relationship can hold us — not just in our best moments, but our vulnerable ones too — our fear doesn’t feel so threatening. It becomes something we can name, and share.

Real safety isn’t built by avoiding fear. It’s built by welcoming it in, together.

Couples therapy offers a space to practice vulnerability and build genuine safety with your partner. Book a free consult with one of our couples therapists today at https://www.centerforgrowthandconnection.com/

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06/17/2025

You’re allowed to try again, without it being a step backwards. You’re allowed to give someone a second chance, without it being a betrayal to the work you’ve done. But…

You can also miss someone and still choose not to go back.

You can care about someone and still protect your peace.

If you’re in that in-between space, these 10 questions are for you. Because sometimes, what’s pulling you back is something other than love, and trust…

Sometimes it’s longing.
Loneliness…
Guilt.
Sometimes it’s a fear of not being able to do any better.

Do this mini self-check-in now, or save it for the next time you’re having doubts. Make sure you take a moment to sit with the questions and your answers. The truth doesn’t always shout — sometimes it’s a quiet knowing in your body, one that needs stillness to connect with.

Remember — healing is a choice you make every day — not just once.

Looking for support in figuring things out? Book a free consult with one of our therapists today using the link on our page.

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06/13/2025

What we grow up with isn’t necessarily what we deserve.

If you were you taught that silence is strength,
self-sacrifice is love,
your needs are a burden…

How would you know to expect anything different as an adult?

So many of us internalize early survival strategies that later show up as anxiety, relationship struggles, or a deep sense of not knowing who we are.

Healing can begin when you notice what you normalized. If you’re ready to start unlearning these patterns in a safe, supportive space, therapy can help.

Schedule a free consultation with one of our therapists at the link on our page.

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06/06/2025

Have you ever felt like love asks too much of you?

You’re not broken… you’re protecting yourself. If love has ever cost you your voice, your needs, or your sense of self, it makes sense that part of you hesitates now.

But healthy love doesn’t require self-abandonment. It makes space for ALL of you.

The goal isn’t to become fearless. It’s creating emotional safety so you can stay connected and stay true to yourself.
Therapy can help you rebuild that trust—with others, and with yourself.

Ready to begin? Schedule a free consult through the link on our page.

📍Located in Pasadena / Encino
💻 In-person & virtual sessions available

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06/04/2025

Pride is a reminder that there’s nothing small or frivolous about joy. To live visibly, to love fully, to show up as your true self — especially now — is a radical act. 
We honor the generations who made this possible and continue the work by showing up for each other. We’re here to help you connect with your voice, your story, and your worth — whoever you are, and whoever you love.

05/31/2025

Have you ever felt a sort of “can’t eat, can’t sleep” connection? You may have read it as chemistry — but really, it might have been your nervous system trying to resolve an old wound. But how do you know what to look for?

If the highs feel electric but the lows leave you spinning…

If you’re anxious when they pull away, yet crave their return…

If you keep saying, “But I’ve never felt this way before”…

You may be stuck in a familiar cycle of attachment and dysregulation. The truth is, what we call chemistry is often our nervous system reacting to the emotional patterns it’s learned to survive.

The good news is: you can learn a different way to connect. One that’s steady, safe, and still full of spark.

Ready to break the cycle? Therapy can help you untangle what’s real from what’s reactive.

Message us or visit the website in our profile to schedule a free consultation.

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Address

Pasadena, CA

Website

https://www.centerforgrowthandconnection.com/

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About Michelle

Michelle Cantrell is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. Michelle's areas of speciality are eating disorders, trauma, and unhealthy relationship patterns. In addition to her experience in treating eating disorders, Michelle is trained in Post-Induction Therapy for the treatment of developmental and relational trauma, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). When working with couples, Michelle utilizes an Emotionally Focused Couples (EFT) approach. To contact Michelle, you can email her at mdc@michellecantrell.com or call 571-969-4393.

Disclaimer: This page is intended to be for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for mental health services. If you wish to contact Michelle, please do so by emailing or calling. Messages posted through Facebook are not confidential and may not be responded to in a timely manner.