Michelle Lakefield
Calm guidance for change and connection
LPC New Jersey
- Experience
- 20 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Michelle
Michelle Lakefield is a licensed professional counselor in New Jersey with over 20 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, mood challenges, grief, and relationship concerns.
Background and approach
She emphasizes creating an accepting space where clients can speak openly about difficult feelings and life transitions, and she encourages those taking the first step toward support. Her approach blends practical strategies with empathic listening to help clients move forward from patterns that cause distress.
Drawing on evidence-informed tools such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with Client-Centered and solution-focused techniques, she tailors sessions to each person’s priorities and strengths. Michelle also incorporates perspectives from Internal Family Systems when appropriate to explore internal conflicts and relational dynamics.
Her work covers a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, intimacy and parenting issues, ADHD, eating and mood disorders, and complex family-of-origin or blended-family challenges. Michelle works with people who want structured, collaborative care that balances skill-building and deeper emotional exploration.
She accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English, offering multiple remote formats to fit different schedules and preferences.
How her therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Michelle often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and build practical skills for managing anxiety, mood, and stress; this approach focuses on changing patterns that maintain emotional distress. She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes empathic listening and collaboration so clients feel heard and involved in setting goals and pacing work.
Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Michelle works collaboratively to determine what methods best match a client's needs, goals, and preferences. She will explore whether short-term skill-building, deeper internal exploration, or a blend of techniques will support progress and will adjust the plan over time based on feedback and outcomes.
Online therapy with Michelle is offered through multiple formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - which helps accommodate busy schedules, varying energy levels, and different comfort with technology. These options increase flexibility and make it easier for clients to access consistent care from remote locations while working toward clearer coping strategies and improved day-to-day functioning.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Licensed
New Jersey
Languages
English