About Michelle
Michelle Winkel greets people with a calm, direct approach. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 25 years of practice in California.
Background and approach
She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, and life transitions. Her work also addresses LGBT and intimacy-related concerns in a straightforward way.
She creates a space where clients can speak honestly about thoughts and feelings. Sessions aim to reduce blame and increase practical steps forward.
Michelle listens for patterns that keep people stuck and helps them try new ways of relating to themselves and others. Her background spans many settings over a long career, giving her experience with caregiver stress, chronic illness and end-of-life concerns.
She also brings attention to issues like body image, attachment wounds, and family of origin struggles. These topics often show up alongside relationship or identity questions.
Michelle uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques adapted to each person’s goals. She works collaboratively, setting small, achievable steps and checking in about what is helping.
The pace is set by the client and grounded in everyday problems and solutions. For people juggling change or feeling stuck, Michelle offers practical support and steady guidance.
Sessions can include conversation, problem-solving, and building clearer communication. She aims to help clients find more ease and more clarity in daily life.
How Michelle’s Approaches Work Online
Michelle uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques and adapts them to fit each person’s situation. One approach focuses on identifying unhelpful patterns in thoughts and behaviors and trying small changes to see what helps. This helps with anxiety, stress, and day-to-day coping. Another approach centers on improving communication and closeness by practicing specific skills and noticing how interactions change. That approach is useful for relationship and intimacy-related concerns.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist and client talk about goals, try methods, and adjust based on what feels most useful. That collaborative process helps match techniques to your needs and preferences rather than sticking to a single method.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video calls let people work face-to-face from a convenient location. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier during a busy day. Live chat or text messaging can be helpful for shorter check-ins, periodic support, or tracking progress between longer sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, or health challenges.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Michelle focus on?
What is her general approach in sessions?
How much clinical experience does she have?
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
Are sessions available in languages other than English?
What formats are used for appointments?
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Gender dysphoria
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Experience
- 25 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English