Michelle Fennessy , LCSW

Michelle Fennessy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida. She earned her master’s degree from Columbia University in New York and completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. As a clinician she recognizes that reaching out for help requires courage and self-awareness, and she encourages people to acknowledge that first step toward feeling better.

Her training included the experience of being a therapy client herself, which gave her an appreciation for how long it can take to feel safe enough to share difficult or private feelings. That personal perspective informs her work and helps her support others through the early, often vulnerable stages of counseling. She often notices strengths and positive qualities in people early in treatment, and she emphasizes that most people want to know they are not alone.

Her clinical focus includes anxiety, depression, trauma, and heartbreak, and she works with people experiencing what she describes as a "middle marriage" crisis. She also assists clients who struggle with addictive or self-destructive behaviors such as binge-eating, over-drinking, or repeated urges to text, call, or monitor someone on social media. Having lived and worked abroad, she brings particular knowledge of the stresses associated with ex-patriate life.

Her approach is rooted in the strengths perspective, cognitive behavioral methods, and goal-oriented therapy. She is interested in energy psychology and in helping clients explore practices such as the Law of Attraction when that aligns with their goals. Overall, she aims to help people shift toward thoughts and behaviors that allow them to feel better and pursue a life they value.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Michelle Fennessy draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients clarify personal values and take committed action even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. ACT can support people dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, and life transitions by focusing on what matters most and developing practical steps toward those aims.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. CBT is often applied for anxiety, mood concerns, addictive habits, and relationship difficulties because it offers concrete skills for shifting daily thoughts and routines.

Mindfulness-based techniques are woven into her work to cultivate present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity, which can be useful for coping with grief, trauma responses, and ongoing stress. Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process - she collaborates with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy with licensed professionals offers flexibility and accessibility. Michelle provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate busy schedules, travel, or living abroad. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to access therapy from locations that suit a client's life.