Michelle Zaragoza , LCSW

Michelle Zaragoza is a licensed mental health clinician in California with over nine years of professional counseling experience. As an LCSW - a Licensed Clinical Social Worker qualified to provide clinical social work - she focuses on helping adults navigate stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, career concerns, and major life transitions.

Her practice emphasizes brief, goal-oriented methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Therapy, rooted in positive psychology and practical skill building. She works collaboratively with clients to identify strengths, set clear short-term goals, and develop actionable strategies that support both immediate coping and long-term growth. Michelle provides direct, thoughtful feedback to keep work focused and progress measurable.

Beyond core concerns like mood disorders and workplace issues, her work also addresses family of origin patterns, guilt and shame, questions of life purpose, self-love, and women’s issues. She aims to empower clients to make meaningful changes through a hands-on, engaged approach that balances pragmatic problem-solving with personal insight. Michelle supports adult clients in developing tools that foster resilience and purposeful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Michelle Zaragoza uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as part of her toolkit. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients notice and accept difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying values and taking steps toward a meaningful life - it is often useful for stress, anxiety, and life changes. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and a nonjudgmental stance, creating space for clients to explore identity, self-worth, and relationship concerns at their own pace. EMDR is an evidence-informed approach that supports the processing of distressing memories and their emotional impact, and it can be applied when past events continue to affect present functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Michelle collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their goals, preferences, and needs. She adapts techniques and pacing so that therapy aligns with what the client hopes to achieve.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can occur by video call or phone, and options for live chat or text-based messaging allow ongoing support between appointments. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to maintain continuity of care when in-person visits are not possible, while allowing licensed professionals to tailor interventions for each client.