Michelle Carter , LICSW

Michelle Carter, LICSW, brings a thoughtful, collaborative approach to helping people navigate persistent challenges and reach personally meaningful goals. With a Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) credential, she focuses on increasing self-awareness, fostering acceptance, and building on clients' strengths. Her background also includes SAP certification related to substance use work and eligibility for a trauma-focused credential (CTTP), reflecting additional training in addiction and trauma-informed care.

Michelle centers the therapeutic relationship on the client's values and priorities, recognizing that people sometimes carry expectations that belong to others or struggle to identify what they truly want. She supports clients in exploring those patterns, deciding which burdens to set down, and reclaiming the goals and values that matter most to them. In sessions she combines a nonjudgmental, guiding stance with practical strategies to reduce symptoms and behaviors that interfere with fuller, more engaged living.

Her work addresses a wide range of concerns from stress and anxiety to relationship and intimacy issues, grief, addictions, sleep and eating concerns, caregiver stress, and life transitions. Michelle aims to help clients move toward greater health, personal freedom, and choices that reflect who they are rather than fear or symptom-driven responses.

Approaches for online therapy and practical care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life while learning ways to relate differently to difficult thoughts and feelings. It is often useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions where people want to reconnect with what matters to them.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on providing empathy, respect, and support so clients can explore their own goals at their own pace. This approach helps when someone needs a safe space to increase self-understanding, build confidence, and make choices aligned with their values.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and reducing impulsive or self-defeating behaviors. It can be helpful for stress, mood difficulties, and problems with emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Licensed professionals work collaboratively with each person to identify which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and may integrate techniques from different models as treatment progresses.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging provides flexibility for scheduling and lets people connect with therapists from home or other convenient locations. These options can make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to access support in ways that match each person's routine and comfort level.