About Michelle
Michelle DeFino is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York. She focuses on practical help for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, and relationship struggles. Michelle writes plainly and aims to make each session useful from the start.
She blends straightforward talk with skill practice. Michelle draws on client-centered work to follow what matters to the person in front of her. She also uses cognitive behavioral approaches to spot and change unhelpful thinking patterns that feed anxiety and low mood.
How Michelle works
Dialectical behavior strategies appear in her work when people need better emotion regulation and fewer impulsive reactions. Motivational interviewing is used to support people who want to change habits related to substance use, money, or other behaviors. Mindfulness exercises are offered to improve focus and reduce rumination.
Michelle has three years of clinical experience and holds LCSW credentials in New Jersey and New York. Her practice includes help for parenting stress, caregiver strain, aging and geriatric concerns, codependency, communication problems, and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with trauma, bipolar disorder, anger, and social anxiety.
Sessions are available by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Michelle encourages a collaborative process: she listens first, then builds simple, concrete steps with each person to work toward clearer goals.
Michelle lists 6 ways of working on the entry:
What Michelle works with
The areas below are the ones Michelle selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Addictions
- Grief
- Anger management
Also listed
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Impulsivity
- Money and financial issues
- Parenting issues
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 3 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | New York |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Online approaches that build skills and momentum
Michelle commonly blends client-centered work with cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior strategies. Client-centered work focuses on listening and following what matters to the person, helping them set goals and feel heard. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at the thoughts that drive upsetting feelings and teaches practical tools to change those patterns. Dialectical behavior strategies teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills for people who react strongly to stress.Michelle treats finding the right approach as a collaborative process. She begins by listening to your goals and current struggles, then suggests techniques to try. Together you can adjust methods over time so the plan fits your needs, pace, and preferences.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video works well for a face-to-face conversation and skills practice. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit a short break during the day. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief check-ins, homework support, or when typing feels easier than speaking.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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