Michelle Zaragoza

Michelle Zaragoza is a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with nine years of professional counseling experience. She works with adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, career uncertainty, and life changes. She also addresses family of origin issues, guilt and shame, mood concerns, self-love, women’s issues, workplace stress, and questions about life purpose.

Her style is practical and direct. She collaborates with clients to set short- and longer-term goals. Sessions focus on building skills, trying concrete strategies, and tracking small shifts over time. She offers thoughtful feedback and keeps work focused on the next steps the client wants to take.

Michelle uses evidence-informed approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centered methods, EMDR, mindfulness, and narrative practices. That range lets her shift strategies when a client needs skills training, processing, or perspective work. She explains approaches in clear terms and helps people try techniques in session so they can use them outside sessions.

Clients can expect a straightforward conversation about what matters now and what they want to change. Sessions tend to be action-oriented with room for reflection. Michelle guides clients through practical tools for coping, decision making, and managing emotions when life feels uncertain.

To begin, clients are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session. Costs vary by location and are delivered through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How therapeutic approaches are used in online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small actions that align with those values while learning to live with difficult thoughts and feelings. It can help when someone feels stuck between choices or unsure what matters next.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and reflecting so clients can make their own sense of things. This approach supports people who need space to sort priorities and decide on next steps without pressure.

Michelle treats finding the right method as part of the work. She discusses options with clients and tests approaches based on their goals and preferences. That collaborative process helps identify whether skills practice, narrative work, or other techniques fit best at a given time.

Confirm current session formats before booking, since formats are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. They also allow trying exercises and mindfulness practices in the moment so clients can bring changes into everyday routines.