- Guilt and shame
- CBT and mindfulness
- Motivational interviewing
About Michele
Michele "Shelly" Virva is a Michigan-licensed LMSW with 20 years of professional experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, substance use concerns, trauma and depression. She works with adults facing life changes and the practical problems those bring. She names guilt and shame among the issues she addresses and helps clients handle their emotional responses to past events and decisions.
She uses client-centered methods to listen first and build on what a person already knows about themselves. Michele also draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different, more helpful ways of thinking and acting. Mindfulness practices are offered as short, practical exercises for reducing reactivity and increasing present-moment awareness.
Motivational interviewing is part of her approach when someone is weighing change around substance use or other habits. Solution-focused work is used for setting small, concrete goals and tracking progress between sessions. Michele describes the work as collaborative; she helps people pick strategies that fit their life and values.
Sessions focus on clear, direct steps rather than abstract labels. She helps people talk through relationship communication problems, caregiver stress, chronic illness challenges, and transitions like divorce or pregnancy. The emphasis is on what can be done now to reduce daily strain and improve coping.
Her practice serves English-speaking adults in Michigan. Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Client-centered therapy means the therapist listens closely and follows what matters most to the client. Online sessions keep that focus by letting conversations begin with what the client wants to address and move at the client's pace.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is about identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. In online work this often looks like reviewing recent situations, noticing thoughts and trying short exercises between sessions to practice new responses. Mindfulness Therapy introduces brief attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and increase calm; these can be coached in session and repeated on the client's own time.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals, needs, and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. That decision is collaborative and can be adjusted over time based on what helps.
The biography does not specify session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Therapists generally help people pick the session length and rhythm that best fit daily life.
Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
Michigan
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, and coping with life changes. Additional focuses include attachment issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness, communication problems, and guilt and shame.
How would she approach shame or guilt?
She combines client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral strategies and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and respond differently to painful feelings.
What is her professional background?
She has 20 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an LMSW licensed in Michigan and provides services to people in that state.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.
How does payment work and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.