Michelle Varady, LCSW

Michelle Varady is a licensed clinical social worker who brings ten years of practice to her work in California. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, addictions, mood problems, and life transitions. Michelle aims to help clients feel steadier day to day while addressing the issues that led them to therapy.

Her background includes work with trauma, depression, bipolar disorder, grief, and sleep difficulties. She uses practical tools from approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, solution-focused strategies, and somatic work to help people notice patterns and try different ways of coping.

In sessions she helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and then practices alternatives together. She often pairs short, practical exercises with space to talk about painful experiences. The focus is on skills you can use between sessions and clearer choices in stressful moments.

Michelle also pays attention to complex, overlapping issues like co-morbidity, codependency, and addiction. She supports clients dealing with feelings tied to abandonment, guilt and shame, impulsivity, and midlife transitions. Aging and geriatric issues are listed among her additional areas of focus.

People who choose her typically want straightforward, skill-based work alongside deeper exploration. She works in English and accepts international clients. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule based on the therapist's availability.

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Michelle often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT usually involves identifying thought patterns, testing them in real life, and practicing small behavioral changes to improve mood and reduce anxiety.

She also uses dialectical behavior therapy techniques to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills. DBT-style skills can be helpful for intense emotions, impulsivity, and relationship challenges.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and then recommend starting steps. Goals and methods can be adjusted as work proceeds, so clients help shape the plan over time.

Session formats are not listed here, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also lets people try skill practice between meetings and bring real-life examples into conversation. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and somatic techniques to work online so therapy stays practical and focused on daily improvements.