Michael Harris, MA, LP — Licensed Psychologist & Caregiver Coach
Many caregivers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) aren’t failing because they lack love, effort, or commitment. They’re exhausted because they’re being asked to function in constant crisis without enough nervous system support, boundaries, or recovery.
Michael Harris helps caregivers understand what’s actually happening—and build a steadier, more sustainable way forward.
Michael is a licensed psychologist with nearly 30 years of experience working with families affected by trauma, neurodevelopmental differences, foster care, and adoption. Much of his career has been spent at the Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, serving urban American Indian communities and families of all backgrounds. Across clinical work, leadership roles, and training, he has seen how often caregivers are expected to over-function and how costly that becomes over time.
Michael is the creator of the C.A.R.E.™ Framework, a nervous-system-first approach grounded in mindset, boundaries, and action. Rather than relying on willpower or constant vigilance, his work focuses on helping caregivers stabilize themselves first, so co-regulation and connection become possible. His approach integrates trauma-informed care, somatic awareness, and practical coaching into simple, repeatable practices that support clarity, agency, and endurance.
Through the FASD Elephant platform, Praise for Change programs, and small-group retreats, Michael offers realistic guidance for caregivers and professionals who want fewer crises, clearer limits, and more sustainable presence. His work is direct, compassionate, and grounded in the belief that self-care isn’t indulgence—it’s a requirement for staying in the work with integrity.
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More Details on Michael
Professional background
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Licensed Psychologist (LP) since 1997 and over 30 years of trauma-informed practice with children, families, and caregivers
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Extensive experience in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), foster care, adoption, attachment disruption, and developmental trauma
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Former Director of the Counseling Support Clinic (19 years) and current Director of Communications & Community Engagement at the Indian Health Board of Minneapolis
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Trained in somatic-based and nervous-system-informed therapies and interventions, including years of work integrating body-based regulation approaches
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Certified WHM Instructor teaching breathwork, cold exposure, and mindset for nervous system resilience
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Trained Positive Intelligence (PQ) Coach, with a focus on reducing burnout, self-criticism, and overfunctioning
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Regional and national speaker providing trainings, workshops, and keynote talks for caregivers, clinicians, educators, and service systems
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Former licensed foster parent; ongoing caregiver to a son with complex needs into young adulthood
What That Means for Caregivers
Years of clinical work, leadership, foster parenting, and ongoing caregiving taught me that burnout rarely comes from a lack of love or commitment. It comes from living in a state of chronic over-responsibility without enough recovery, boundaries, or support. I’ve felt the slow creep of exhaustion, the narrowing of hope, and the quiet sense of being blocked in care despite doing everything “right.” That lived experience reshaped my approach: away from fixing, pushing, or managing behavior, and toward helping caregivers stabilize themselves first. My work now centers on practical, nervous-system-first strategies that make caregiving more sustainable, so people can stay present, compassionate, and human without sacrificing themselves in the process.
Speaker Bios
Ultra-Short Bio
Licensed psychologist with 30+ years in trauma-informed care, helping FASD caregivers reduce crisis, regulate their nervous systems, and build sustainable ways of showing up—without burnout.
Short Bio
Michael Harris, MA, LP is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of trauma-informed practice supporting caregivers, families, and professionals working with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and other high-intensity neurobehavioral conditions. His work focuses on helping caregivers move out of constant crisis by stabilizing their nervous systems, setting clearer boundaries, and reducing over-responsibility.
Michael brings both professional and lived experience to his work, including years as a licensed foster parent and ongoing caregiving into young adulthood. He has held long-term leadership roles at the Indian Health Board of Minneapolis and is a regional and national speaker known for practical, grounded teaching. His approach integrates somatic awareness, breathwork, mindset training, and trauma-informed coaching to help caregivers sustain compassion without burning out.
Medium-Length Bio
Michael Harris, MA, LP is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of trauma-informed practice supporting caregivers, families, and professionals working with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), foster care, adoption, and complex developmental trauma. His work centers on helping caregivers reduce chronic crisis by focusing first on nervous system regulation, realistic boundaries, and sustainable care.
Michael’s perspective is shaped by decades of clinical practice, long-term leadership at the Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, and lived experience as a licensed foster parent and ongoing caregiver into young adulthood. He understands firsthand how burnout, hopelessness, and blocked care can develop even in deeply committed caregivers.
As a speaker and trainer, Michael is known for clear, compassionate teaching that avoids blame, hype, or quick fixes. His approach integrates trauma-informed psychology, somatic and nervous-system-based practices, breathwork, and mindset training into simple, repeatable tools caregivers can actually use. He speaks to caregivers, clinicians, educators, and service systems seeking steadier, more humane ways to support families without asking people to sacrifice themselves in the process.