- Stress and anxiety
- LGBT concerns
- Relationship support
About Michelle
Michelle Winkel is a California-licensed marriage and family therapist with 25 years of experience. She helps people who are feeling stressed or anxious, navigating LGBT and gender-related concerns, or facing intimacy and relationship challenges. She also supports those coping with major life changes. Her style is straightforward and compassionate, aimed at helping people take the next practical step toward feeling better.
She creates a calm space where people can speak openly about what matters most. Sessions focus on clear goals and realistic steps that fit each person's life. Michelle listens for patterns that keep problems repeating and works with clients to try new ways of handling them.
Her background includes long experience in clinical work across a range of concerns. That experience informs how she helps people manage stress, approach difficult conversations, and rebuild closeness in intimate relationships. Her work also includes attention to aging and caregiver stress when those issues come up.
In therapy she addresses concrete problems like communication breakdowns, eating and body image worries, chronic illness strain, and the emotional impacts of family of origin. She pays attention to how attachment and past relationships shape current patterns.
Michelle uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques to guide sessions. She partners with clients to set clear goals and practical strategies. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a time that works for them.
How Michelle Uses Evidence-Based Techniques Online
Michelle draws on well-established, evidence-based therapeutic approaches to address stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, and LGBT-related issues. One common approach focuses on practical skill building for managing anxiety and stress, teaching breathing, grounding, and behavior-based techniques to reduce overwhelm and improve daily functioning. Another approach examines communication and interaction patterns in relationships, helping people notice unhelpful cycles and practice clearer, more effective ways of speaking and listening.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, try strategies, and adjust based on what feels most helpful. Clients and the therapist decide together which techniques to emphasize as work progresses.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time and allowing appointments from different locations. Confirm the session options available before booking so you know what formats are offered. Many people find that remote sessions support consistent work on goals, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and make it simpler to attend from a break at work or between other responsibilities.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Michelle help with?
Her practice addresses stress, anxiety, LGBT and gender-related concerns, relationship and intimacy issues, and coping with life changes. She also works with related issues such as caregiver stress, chronic illness, body image, and family of origin problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She aims for an open, nonjudgmental space and focuses on practical steps. Sessions emphasize clear goals and real-world strategies that fit daily life.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of professional experience working in clinical settings and private practice in California.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a California LMFT, which stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and she practices in California.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States schedule with her?
International clients are not currently accepted; sessions are provided to clients within applicable regions.
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 therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.