- Practical coping skills
- Focus on relationships
- Collaborative process
About Michele
Michele McShea is a licensed clinical social worker with 19 years of experience helping people through stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and other life challenges. She works with individuals on issues related to intimacy, grief, addiction, trauma, and LGBT concerns. Michele emphasizes steady progress and practical coping as people rebuild confidence and engage more fully in life.
Her approach blends insight and action. She helps people notice patterns that hold them back and then practices new ways of responding. That combination aims to reduce symptoms while also improving daily functioning. Michele often focuses on relationships, communication struggles, codependency, and family of origin problems.
Sessions tend to be direct and collaborative. Michele listens for what matters most and suggests small, manageable steps between meetings. She values honesty about setbacks and treats them as part of the process rather than proof of failure. Her goal is to help people feel both heard and able to try different behaviors in real life.
Over nearly two decades she has worked with individuals, couples, and groups, offering a range of methods to fit each person's needs. Michele uses tools drawn from cognitive behavioral approaches, psychodynamic ideas, solution-focused work, existential reflection, and hypnotherapy where appropriate. She welcomes clients who want to address deep wounds and also improve how they cope day to day.
People who appreciate practical guidance and thoughtful listening may find her style encouraging. Michele aims to partner with clients so they can build more satisfying relationships, clearer boundaries, and a stronger sense of self.
How Michele’s approaches translate to online work
Michele draws on cognitive behavioral work to help people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors in clear, step-by-step ways. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress by practicing skills and testing new responses between sessions.She also uses psychodynamic ideas that look at patterns from past relationships and family of origin to explain current struggles. That approach can help people understand recurring problems like codependency or communication difficulties. When appropriate, she may include solution-focused techniques that narrow in on immediate goals and small changes that make a difference quickly.
Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. Michele works collaboratively to figure out which methods fit a person’s needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts the balance of insight work and practical skill-building as therapy progresses.
The biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for brief check-ins when a full session isn’t needed. It can also let people use different tools and exercises between meetings to support steady progress.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
19+ years
Credentials
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Michele help with?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and issues like trauma, grief, and addictions. Additional areas include codependency, body image, abandonment, and family of origin matters.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Michele combines listening with practical steps. She helps clients gain insight into patterns and then practices new responses to improve daily functioning.
What kind of background does she bring?
She has 19 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and groups across a range of concerns including LGBT-related issues and intimacy-related problems.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an Illinois LCSW, which is a licensed clinical social worker credential, and practices from Illinois.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English, and she also accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.