Michelle Varady

Compassionate, skills-based care with deeper insight

LCSW California

Experience: 10 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Languages: English

About Michelle

Michelle Varady is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with ten years of professional experience practicing in California. She focuses on helping people work through stress, anxiety, addiction, mood challenges, trauma, grief, and self-esteem concerns by combining practical symptom-management tools with deeper therapeutic work.

Background and approach

Michelle draws on approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, solution-focused strategies, and somatic techniques to tailor care to each person’s needs. Her style balances structured, skill-based interventions with an emphasis on understanding the underlying patterns that keep problems recurring.

Michelle aims to teach coping skills for immediate relief while supporting clients who want to explore the roots of long-standing difficulties like abandonment wounds, codependency, or chronic shame. She accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English, offering video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different preferences and schedules.

Combining Practical Skills and Deeper Work Online

Michelle often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that contribute to anxiety, depression, and mood instability. CBT offers concrete strategies for managing symptoms and building more effective daily habits. She also incorporates Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques to teach emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness when intense emotions or impulsivity are present.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. Michelle works with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, needs, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more accessible and flexible. These formats allow people to fit sessions into busy schedules, continue care while traveling, or choose the communication style that feels most comfortable for them. Licensed professionals can still use structured CBT or DBT tools and mindfulness exercises effectively in these formats, making it easier to practice new skills between appointments.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she help with?

Michelle works with a range of issues including stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, depression, grief, sleeping problems, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and coping with life changes.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her approach blends practical, skills-based methods like CBT and DBT with mindfulness and somatic practices to address both symptoms and deeper patterns.

What is her professional background?

She has ten years of clinical experience and combines evidence-based techniques with exploratory work on root causes of recurring difficulties.

Where is she licensed and based?

Michelle is an LCSW licensed in California; credential details include CA LCSW 129263 and NV LCSW 11399-C.

Can non-U.S. clients work with her?

Yes, she accepts international clients and offers services in English.

What session formats are available?

Sessions may be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs.

How are fees handled?

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

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule an appointment based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Trauma and abuse Self esteem Depression

Also works with

GriefSleeping disordersBipolar disorderCoping with life changes ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDrug and alcohol addictionForgivenessGuilt and shame ImpulsivityMidlife crisisMood disorders Panic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

10+ years

Licensed

Nevada, California

Languages

English