Michelle Zaragoza

Michelle Zaragoza is a licensed clinical social worker in California. She has nine years of counseling experience and helps people manage stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, and career concerns.

She focuses on practical steps people can use right away. Michelle listens closely and works side by side with each person to set realistic goals. Sessions emphasize skills for coping with life changes, easing persistent worry, and navigating workplace or relationship strain.

Her approach blends several methods to match what the person needs. Michelle uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify values and take meaningful action. She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy to keep the conversation grounded in the person’s experience, and Narrative Therapy to reframe stories that keep people stuck.

Clients can expect straightforward feedback and concrete exercises they can use between sessions. She pays attention to family of origin issues, feelings of guilt and shame, and questions about life purpose and self-love. Women’s issues are listed among her focus areas.

Michelle aims to support steady, practical change rather than quick fixes. If someone is looking to build coping tools and make intentional shifts in work, mood, or relationships, she offers a collaborative space to do that.

Approaches that translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice what matters most to them and then take small actions toward those values. It focuses less on removing unpleasant thoughts and more on choosing steps that align with personal goals. Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the person's experience. The therapist listens without judgment and follows the client's lead to help them find their own solutions. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a method used to help process distressing memories; it involves structured bilateral stimulation alongside guided recall to reduce the intensity of those memories.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Michelle will help figure out which methods fit best based on goals, comfort, and progress. Decisions about techniques are collaborative and can change as needs evolve.

If you prefer doing therapy online, confirm the current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so people can schedule around work or caregiving. Talk with the therapist when you match to learn how sessions will be arranged and what to expect.