Michelle Laughlin

Calm, practical support for everyday challenges

LCSW California

Experience: 4 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy
Languages: English

About Michelle

Michelle Laughlin is a California-licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem concerns, coping with life changes, and ADHD-related difficulties.

Background and approach

With four years of clinical experience, she draws on evidence-informed methods to help clients build practical skills for daily functioning and emotional resilience. Michelle emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion while adapting conversations and plans to each person’s needs.

Her work integrates cognitive behavioral techniques alongside attachment-aware and client-centered approaches to address patterns that maintain distress and to strengthen healthier coping strategies. Michelle also brings experience addressing related issues such as abandonment, attachment struggles, communication and control problems, dissociation, domestic violence, and problems that arise after disasters.

She aims to collaborate with clients on realistic goals and to support the steady steps people take toward greater wellbeing. Michelle offers sessions in English and practices in California.

She structures care to meet individual circumstances and encourages those considering therapy to take the first step toward a more fulfilling life by reaching out when they feel ready.

How treatment approaches translate to online therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and patterns and learning practical strategies to change behaviors and manage symptoms. It is often used for anxiety, stress, and difficulties with concentration and motivation and involves collaborative skill-building between therapist and client.

Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early and current relationship patterns influence emotional responses and coping. This approach can help people understand interpersonal triggers, repair relational wounds, and develop more supported ways of relating to others.

Finding the right combination of approaches is part of the therapeutic process, and the therapist works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, needs, and preferences. Sessions can include skill practice, reflective conversation, and problem-solving tasks chosen together.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into busy schedules and to stay connected from different locations within California. These formats support ongoing work on coping skills, behavioral experiments, and emotional processing while giving people options to choose the communication style that feels most comfortable and accessible.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Michelle address?

She supports people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self esteem issues, coping with life changes, and ADHD, and also works with related topics such as abandonment, attachment issues, communication problems, and dissociation.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her approach blends practical skills training with a respectful, compassionate attitude; she adapts the pace and focus of sessions to each person’s needs and preferences.

What is her professional background?

Michelle has four years of professional experience working in behavioral health settings and developing individualized treatment plans for clients facing emotional and functional challenges.

What credentials and location should I know about?

She is licensed as an LCSW in California with license number CA LCSW 120910 and practices within California.

Does she provide services in other languages or accept international clients?

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

Which session formats are available?

Appointments can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or through text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.

How are fees and payment handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps do I take to begin working together?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Self esteem Coping with life changes ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCo-morbidityCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDomestic violenceEmptinessFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shame ImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disorders Post-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSelf-loveWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Solution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

4+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English