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LCSW

Michelle Laughlin, LCSW

  • Experience4 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, and Self esteem
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Michelle

Michelle Laughlin is a California-licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who helps people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem struggles, life transitions, and attention challenges such as ADHD.

Background and approach

She brings four years of professional experience to therapeutic work and aims to create a respectful, sensitive, and compassionate space for clients to explore their concerns. Her approach emphasizes tailoring conversations and treatment plans to each person’s individual needs, focusing on practical skills and deeper emotional work as appropriate.

Michelle draws on a range of evidence-informed methods including Internal Family Systems, attachment-informed care, client-centered techniques, CBT, and DBT to address symptoms, improve coping, and strengthen self-understanding. She frames therapy as a collaborative process and supports clients through the often difficult first steps toward greater wellbeing.

Clients can expect a practitioner who attends closely to motivation, confidence, concentration, and memory while working to reduce distress and increase functioning. Michelle’s practice attends to related issues such as abandonment, attachment difficulties, communication problems, dissociation, and forgiveness, adapting interventions to fit each person’s unique situation.

Integrating therapeutic approaches with online care

Michelle often uses Internal Family Systems to help people identify and relate to different parts of themselves, which can ease internal conflict and support healing from trauma or chronic anxiety. Attachment-Based Therapy is another resource she brings to bear, focusing on how early relational patterns influence current relationships and emotional responses, useful for issues like abandonment or attachment difficulties.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with clients to assess needs, goals, and preferences, and then selects or combines methods that fit each person’s situation rather than prescribing a single path forward.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to maintain continuity of care around busy schedules and life transitions. These options allow licensed professionals to deliver tailored interventions, skills coaching, and reflective conversations in formats that suit different comfort levels and logistical needs.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Michelle commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, coping with life changes, and ADHD, along with related issues like attachment concerns, dissociation, and communication problems.
What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?
Sessions are collaborative and client-centered, blending practical skills with exploratory work to tailor treatment to each person’s needs and goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Michelle has four years of professional experience supporting clients through a range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in California; her license is CA LCSW 120910.
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?
Therapy can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseSelf esteemCoping with life changesADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCo-morbidityCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDomestic violenceEmptinessFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersPost-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