PuttingFamilyFirst

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MF Portrait of Michelle Fennessy
Online therapist

Michelle Fennessy

Practical support for stressful life transitions

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Credentials
LCSW
Experience
20 years
Licensed in
Florida
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Michelle

Michelle Fennessy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Florida with 20 years of practice. She earned her master's degree at Columbia University and began working with people facing hard life moments. She encourages anyone who reaches out to recognize the bravery in that step and aims to create a calm space for honest conversation.

Her approach is practical and down-to-earth. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people change unhelpful thinking and take actions that match their values.

Background and approach

She also uses mindfulness-based practices and solution-focused techniques to teach simple skills that reduce stress and increase everyday coping. Michelle works with concerns such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related difficulties, parenting challenges, and career stress. She also supports people dealing with body image, caregiving strain, cancer-related worries, and the emotional fallout of separation or infidelity.

In sessions she helps clients identify patterns, try concrete strategies, and build small habits that lead to steadier days. She blends an accepting stance with goal-oriented tools so people can both feel heard and see measurable progress. She also respects different life experiences and incorporates practical exercises that fit each person’s routine.

Michelle offers a collaborative style that centers the client’s values and goals. She encourages clients to explore what matters to them, experiment with new ways of responding, and notice what changes. The aim is clearer thinking, fewer overwhelming moments, and a better sense of direction.

Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what they value and take small steps toward those goals while accepting difficult thoughts and feelings. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and major life transitions where values and action matter.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and habits. It offers clear techniques for reducing anxiety, managing mood, and addressing patterns that drive behaviors like over-eating or compulsive checking.

Michelle treats finding the right approach as a team effort. She will talk with each person about their goals, try methods that match their needs, and adjust the plan based on what works. That collaborative process helps people feel involved and more likely to keep using new skills.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care flexible. These options let people fit therapy around work, caregiving, or travel. They also allow follow-up conversations and brief check-ins between meetings so skills can be practiced and supported in daily life.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Frequently asked questions

What issues does Michelle commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, anger, career worries, and compassion fatigue, among other matters.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style mixes practical skill teaching with acceptance and mindfulness. Sessions focus on concrete steps, thought work, and actions aligned with each client’s values.
What is her professional background?
She has 20 years of experience and completed a master’s degree at Columbia University. Her training included both personal client experience and supervised clinical work.
Which credentials and region apply to her practice?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, FL LCSW SW14710, practicing in Florida.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English and she is available to work with international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Therapy is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are fees and payment 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 working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist’s availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
20 years
Licensed
Florida
Languages
English

Next step

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