Michelle Zaragoza , LCSW

Michelle Zaragoza is a licensed mental health clinician in California with nine years of professional counseling experience. As an LCSW, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she brings practical skill-building and compassionate guidance to adults coping with stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, and career transitions. Michelle draws on brief, goal-oriented methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy to help people shift from problem-focused thinking toward workable solutions and clearer next steps.

Her approach is collaborative and engaging; she works alongside clients to identify priorities, develop new skills, and create strategies that support both short-term progress and longer-term goals. Michelle offers direct, thoughtful feedback designed to keep sessions focused and productive while honoring each personâs pace and values. She emphasizes practical tools that support personal growth and meaningful change.

Michelle aims to empower individuals to take courageous first steps toward change and to build habits that sustain well-being over time. For those ready to explore new directions, she offers steady support and evidence-informed techniques to help translate insight into action.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care and Growth

Michelle integrates several evidence-informed approaches to support change and resilience. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without being driven by them, while clarifying personal values and committed actions that lead to a more meaningful life; it is often useful for stress, anxiety, and life transitions.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, listening, and respect for each personâs pace, creating space for insight and self-directed change; this approach can be particularly helpful for relationship concerns, self-esteem, and exploring life purpose.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, offers a structured process to help people reprocess distressing memories and reduce their emotional charge, which can support recovery from past events that continue to affect daily functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Michelle will collaborate with clients to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies as progress unfolds.

Online therapy modalities - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to access care around work, family, and other commitments. These options offer flexibility in scheduling and allow clients to engage in therapy from locations that work best for them while maintaining continuity of care with licensed professionals.