- 25 years experience
- Practical coping skills
- Focus on recovery
About Michele
Michele Fitzgerald is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) with 25 years of experience. She began her career working with adolescents in substance abuse treatment in the 1980s and has practiced in settings from Kodiak, Alaska to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Michele focuses on practical steps people can take to feel steadier and more able to cope with stress and life changes.
She draws on a long history in substance use and mental health counseling, plus work in adoption, birth-parent support, hospital social work, and long-term care. That mix shaped her view of recovery as part of overall wellness and led to an emphasis on building strength through adversity. Michele listens closely and treats mistakes as chances to learn.
Her approach blends client-centered conversations with concrete skills from methods like cognitive behavioral work and motivational interviewing. She also integrates techniques from dialectical behavior work and EMDR when they fit a person’s needs. Sessions tend to focus on what someone can try between meetings and how small changes add up.
Michele helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, sleep troubles, parenting strain, relationship concerns, and problems tied to family of origin. She also addresses issues such as abandonment, attachment, chronic illness, codependency, coping after natural or human-caused disaster, and eating-related struggles.
She practices in Minnesota and conducts work in English. For parents or individuals worried about sleep, mood, or coping, Michele aims to make each session clear, practical, and easy to follow.
How Michele’s approaches fit online work
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the person’s own goals and pace, with the therapist listening deeply and following what matters most to the client. This approach helps when someone needs a space to talk through worries or decisions and to feel heard. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. It is practical and problem-focused, often useful for anxiety, sleep difficulties, and mood changes. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, adds skills for managing strong emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships, which can be helpful for people struggling with anger, impulsive behaviors, or emotional overwhelm.Finding the right approach is part of the therapy work. Michele will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences. That may mean starting with listening and then adding CBT or DBT skills, or using other techniques when trauma work is needed. The process is guided by the client’s needs rather than a fixed plan.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules demand it. It also lets people pick quieter surroundings, use phone-only meetings if video feels difficult, or schedule sessions during a work break. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework to an online setting so progress can continue between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
Minnesota
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Michele address?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, and sleep problems. Additional focuses include parenting strain, relationship issues, ADHD, eating concerns, and family-of-origin difficulties.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is listening-centered and practical. Michele blends client-centered conversation with hands-on skills and short-term exercises to try between sessions.
What is her professional background?
She began working in adolescent substance abuse treatment in the 1980s and has experience in adoption support, hospital social work, long-term care, and mental health counseling across different communities.
What credentials and location apply?
She holds the LPCC credential - Minnesota LPCC - and practices in Minnesota.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
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.
How do I begin working with Michele?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.