- Stress and anxiety
- Relationships and intimacy
- CBT and client-centered
About Michelle
Michelle Lakefield is an LPC licensed in New Jersey with more than 20 years of professional experience. She works with adults on common early-adult concerns like stress, anxiety, relationship strain, and coping with life changes, plus issues such as grief, anger, and self-esteem.
She helps people who are navigating identity questions, work and school pressures, and the push to settle into adult roles. She also supports those dealing with trauma and abuse, intimacy-related challenges, and mood concerns including depression and bipolar. Michelle lists attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and compassion fatigue among the areas she addresses.
Her way of working centers on listening and creating a straightforward space to talk through thoughts and feelings. Sessions focus on understanding immediate concerns, learning practical skills, and trying small changes that can make daily life easier. She uses approaches like Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when helpful.
Michelle also draws on Solution-Focused Therapy and Internal Family Systems to help people identify strengths and patterns that matter. She pays attention to family of origin issues, blended family dynamics, and caregiver stress when these come up in sessions. Practical communication and coping strategies are common topics.
People often come for help with relationship and parenting pressures, divorce and separation, or feeling empty after big life transitions. The first session is a chance to set goals and decide what to focus on next.
How her approaches work in online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and collaboration. It focuses on what matters to the person and helps bring clarity to confusing feelings. This approach supports people dealing with identity questions, relationship stress, and the overwhelm of early adulthood.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, behaviors, and feelings interact. It uses concrete exercises and homework to shift unhelpful thinking patterns. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management that affect school, work, and relationships.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try methods that fit the situation, and adjust over time. Decisions about which techniques to use are made collaboratively based on how the client responds.
Confirm current session formats before booking, since formats were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, cut down travel time, and allow short check-ins when needed. Some people prefer video for face-to-face interaction while others like audio-only sessions to reduce screen time; discuss options when arranging the first appointment.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, grief, anger, mood concerns, ADHD, trauma and other listed areas relevant to young adults.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Sessions are conversational and focused on practical steps. She listens, helps clarify goals, and uses methods that encourage manageable changes.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has over 20 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of emotional and life concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is an LPC licensed in New Jersey and practices with that credential within the state.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered to international clients; language of work is English.
What session formats does she offer?
Confirm current session formats before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and services; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.