Dr. Michelle Canfield

Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and licensed professional counselor who has devoted her career to strengthening father-daughter relationships and supporting families with practical, heart-centered guidance. With over 25 years of clinical counseling experience and more than 40 years working directly with teens and young adult women, she brings deep insight into the emotional and relational challenges families face, especially between fathers and daughters.

Dr. Watson is the founder of The Abba Project, a long-running process group designed to help dads of teenage and young adult daughters build intentional, emotionally attuned relationships. She is also the author of the best-selling "Dad, Here’s What I Really Need From You: A Guide for Connecting With Your Daughter’s Heart" and "Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters," both of which offer fathers practical tools for meaningful communication and connection.

As host of The Dad Whisperer Podcast, Dr. Watson extends her coaching beyond the counseling room, sharing insights and encouragement with a broad audience of parents seeking to deepen family bonds. She regularly speaks at conferences, workshops, retreats, and media outlets, combining authenticity, humor, psychoeducation, and spiritual wisdom to engage and equip listeners.

Alongside her husband, Dr. Ken Canfield, she co-chairs the Father-Daughter Initiative at the National Center for Fathering, amplifying her work to foster intentional fathering nationwide. She maintains a full-time counseling practice and lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where her professional mission is matched by her personal commitment to family and community.