Michelle Fennessy , LCSW

Michelle Fennessy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Florida. She earned a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. As a licensed clinician, she draws on formal training and personal experience to guide people through difficult transitions and emotional challenges.

Michelle recognizes that reaching out for help requires courage and self-awareness, and she encourages people to acknowledge that first step toward healing or simply feeling better. Having been a therapy client during her graduate training, she understands how long it can take to open up and to feel safe enough to share painful or private thoughts. That perspective informs a patient, nonjudgmental approach.

Her clinical focus includes anxiety, depression, trauma and heartbreak, and she often works with individuals facing "middle marriage" crises. Michelle assists people who want to change addictive or self-destructive patterns such as binge-eating, excessive drinking, or repeated online behaviors like texting or social media monitoring that undermine well-being. She also brings firsthand insight into the unique stresses of expatriate life, having lived and worked abroad for many years.

Therapeutically she is rooted in the strengths perspective, cognitive behavioral and goal-oriented approaches, and she is curious about energy-based methods that help shift unhelpful stories. Some clients explore concepts like the Law of Attraction as part of their work. Michelle aims to help people identify thoughts and practices that foster better-feeling perspectives and support meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Michelle Fennessy

Michelle draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness Therapy to support clients. ACT helps people clarify what matters most and take actions aligned with those values while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and relationship stress. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and awareness practices that reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation, which can be helpful for grief, trauma responses, and daily stress.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Michelle works with each person to explore which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and adapts strategies over time so the work feels practical and relevant.

Online sessions offer flexibility for busy lives and for people living outside traditional catchment areas. Michelle provides therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing clients to choose the format that best supports participation and continuity of care. These options make it easier to maintain regular sessions while balancing work, family, or relocation needs.