Kelly Drake

Kelly Drake is a Clinical Social Worker based in Michigan with 25 years of experience in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Her clinical approach is built on family systems theory, psychodynamic concepts, free association, and strength-based practices.

The first decade of her career focused on suicide assessment and trauma treatment for children ages 4-17. During that time she worked with many young people who had severe mental illness and who came from abusive homes, serving a diverse population across the Detroit, MI area through community mental health agencies and school systems.

After college she intended to join the Army but was initially told by a recruiter that she would not pass the physical because of a knee issue; she later joined the Army as an Officer and Social Worker. Over the next ten years on active duty she concentrated on suicide risk assessment and trauma treatment for Soldiers and their families. Because the military favored a solution-focused approach, she incorporated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to address nightmares and sleep difficulties, and she has training in Cognitive Processing Therapy as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD.

Her clinical manner is calm, collected, and perceptive, offering accurate empathy while treating each person with respect, dignity, and attention to privacy. She will move at a client’s pace but is direct about what is needed for change, emphasizing that growth happens through the therapeutic relationship rather than through the kind of advice a friend might offer.

For Kelly, social work is a purpose rather than just a job, and she expresses gratitude for the opportunity to be invited into the most vulnerable parts of a person’s life. She is a Michigan-licensed Master of Social Work, holding an MI LMSW credential (license number 6801086659).