- Goal focused
- Strengths based
- Practical strategies
About Michelle
Michelle Fennessy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Florida with 20 years of experience. She encourages people who are nervous about starting therapy to give themselves credit for taking the first step. Michelle frames therapy as a gradual process where safety and openness develop over time so clients can talk about what truly matters to them.
She combines practical, goal-focused work with attention to strengths. Michelle often helps people who are dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship pain, and addictive behaviors. She also supports those coping with life changes, career stress, caregiver strain, compassion fatigue, and codependency concerns.
Her style is straightforward and warm. Sessions typically focus on changing unhelpful patterns, building better coping skills, and identifying thoughts that lead to relief rather than more distress. She values small shifts in thinking that produce noticeable changes in mood and behavior.
Michelle draws on evidence-informed methods such as cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment approaches, solution-focused tools, and Internal Family Systems ideas. She also brings personal experience living and working abroad, which informs her perspective on the stresses of expatriate life.
People who prefer clear goals, practical strategies, and respectful exploration of difficult feelings may find her approach helpful. She speaks English and works with clients from Florida and internationally.
Approaches that guide online work and progress
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small committed steps toward them while learning to live with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. It can help with anxiety, depression, and situations where people feel stuck.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact. It teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns that maintain anxiety, low mood, or addictive habits.
Mindfulness-based approaches encourage noticing the present moment without judgment. These practices can reduce stress, improve emotion regulation, and help people respond rather than react to triggers.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals, needs, and comfort level. That may mean mixing strategies, trying brief experiments, and adjusting plans as progress is made.
For practical matters, confirm the available session formats before booking since they are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many clients find that regular, focused sessions plus homework or brief practice between meetings help make steady progress.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does Michelle commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship issues, addictive behaviors, codependency, parenting strain, and related concerns.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is warm and straightforward with a focus on practical skills, clearer thinking, and achievable goals.
What is her clinical background?
She has 20 years of experience and completed graduate training that included being a therapy client herself.
What credentials and location apply to this therapist?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in Florida and practices from that state.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What formats are offered for sessions?
Session formats are not specified here; please confirm current session options with the service before booking.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
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.