Michele Koenes

Compassionate, practical care for life’s challenges

LMSW, LCSW Michigan

Experience: 11 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Family, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Michele

Michele Koenes is a licensed social worker who welcomes people looking for practical strategies and a compassionate, collaborative therapeutic relationship. She brings 11 years of experience in clinical settings and blends practical problem-solving with attention to each person’s individual story.

Background and approach

Michele emphasizes empathy and lets clients set the pace while offering structured tools to address stress, anxiety, mood concerns, trauma, substance issues, relationship struggles, and life transitions. Her background includes work in both inpatient and outpatient environments and roles outside of therapy that inform her approach, including litigation and teaching.

Those experiences contribute to her ability to communicate clearly, advocate thoughtfully, and adapt interventions to real-world demands. Michele uses evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside acceptance-focused and attachment-oriented approaches to help clients build coping skills, examine patterns, and find new ways of relating to themselves and others.

She works with adults and older adults in Michigan and offers multiple online session formats to fit varied schedules. Michele describes therapy as a collaborative space for healing and growth, and she prioritizes creating a respectful atmosphere where difficult topics can be explored at a comfortable pace.

Evidence-Informed Approaches Applied to Online Care

Michele frequently uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and developing practical strategies to change behaviors and emotional reactions; CBT is often applied to anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a method that helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying values and taking committed action toward meaningful goals. Attachment-Based Therapy is another influence, emphasizing how early relationship patterns shape current ways of relating and offering pathways to improve connection and emotional regulation.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Michele works with clients to explore goals, preferences, and responses to different techniques, adjusting the plan as therapy progresses so that methods match each person’s needs and pace.

Online therapy with Michele is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These formats allow sessions to fit into busy schedules, support continuity of care across distance, and provide multiple ways to communicate depending on comfort and circumstance. Licensed professionals can adapt the described approaches effectively in these online formats to support ongoing progress.

Frequently asked questions

What types of concerns does Michele address?

She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, relationship and communication problems, bipolar disorder, ADHD, eating and sleeping concerns, and caregiver stress.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Michele favors a collaborative and responsive approach that centers empathy and client pacing while integrating structured techniques to build coping skills and insight.

What is her professional background?

She has 11 years of experience working in inpatient and outpatient settings and has also worked as a teacher and litigation attorney, experiences that inform her communication and advocacy skills.

What credentials and regional licenses does she hold?

She holds LMSW and LCSW credentials and is licensed in Michigan and California with MI LMSW 6801065517 and CA LCSW 118004.

Does she provide services in multiple languages or to international clients?

Sessions are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

Which session formats are available with Michele?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to her availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse Grief Self esteem

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivity Isolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stress Social anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

11+ years

Licensed

Michigan, California, New Hampshire

Languages

English