- Guilt and shame work
- ACT and mindfulness
- Goal focused strategies
About Michelle
Michelle Zaragoza is a California licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, with nine years of counseling experience. She works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, career concerns, and coping with life changes. Michelle also focuses on family of origin issues, guilt and shame, mood disorders, questions of life purpose, self-love, women's issues, and workplace challenges.
Michelle uses a collaborative, straightforward style in sessions. She and the person she is working with set goals and practice skills together. Feedback is direct and focused on what can help in the short and longer term. Sessions aim to turn concerns into practical steps rather than long, abstract talks.
Her approach draws on therapies that help people notice their thoughts and values, tell a clearer story about their experience, and process difficult memories when needed. That includes techniques from acceptance and commitment work, narrative approaches, mindfulness practices, and methods for processing trauma memories. She also uses solution-focused ideas to identify small changes that move a person toward their goals.
In a typical course of work she helps people build day-to-day tools for stress and anxiety, clarify relationship patterns, and sort through guilt or shame so it has less hold on daily life. She supports people who want clearer direction in career and life purpose, and those who need help after painful events or ongoing mood struggles.
To begin, prospective clients complete an intake that outlines current concerns and goals. Michelle then proposes a practical plan that balances short-term steps and deeper therapeutic work according to each person's needs.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and choosing actions that match personal values. It can help when guilt or shame keep someone stuck by helping them take small, values-based steps. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and reflecting so a person can find their own clarity about feelings and choices. That can be useful for sorting through relationship or career decisions. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) offers a method to process distressing memories and reduce their emotional charge when trauma or painful events are involved.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Michelle collaborates with each person to pick methods that fit their goals, needs, and comfort level. She will review options and adjust the plan as the work progresses so therapy stays practical and relevant.
Confirm current session options before booking because formats are not specified in the biography. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins during a workday, or remove the need to travel to an office. Licensed professionals commonly use these benefits to help people maintain consistency and apply skills between sessions, while adapting pace and techniques to what works best for the individual.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
9+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to guilt and shame?
She helps adults who carry guilt or shame from family, faith, relationships, or personal choices by talking through those feelings and developing ways to live with them differently.
How would she approach feelings of persistent anxiety?
Michelle uses a collaborative, direct style that includes mindfulness and acceptance-based techniques alongside solution-focused steps to reduce day-to-day distress.
What is her professional background and experience?
She is a California LCSW with nine years of counseling experience working with adults on stress, relationships, career, and life changes.
Where is she licensed and practicing?
She holds a California LCSW license and practices with clients located in California.
Which languages are used in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people from other countries work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions scheduled and what does cost look like?
Cost varies with location and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.