Michele "Shelly" Virva , LMSW

Michele "Shelly" Virva is a licensed social worker who brings 20 years of experience to her practice. She focuses on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, and life changes. Shelly centers the conversation on each person's strengths and goals. She uses plain language and a calm presence so people can talk through what matters most.

Her approach begins by listening closely to the story you bring. She leans on client-centered therapy to follow your pace and priorities, and on cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. Mindfulness practices are offered to build immediate skills for stress and mood regulation.

Shelly also uses motivational interviewing to support people facing substance use challenges or hard decisions. Solution-focused techniques help set small, achievable steps when someone feels stuck. These methods are applied together to match the problem at hand, not as a rigid formula.

She has worked across many settings in Michigan and has focused much of her career on women's issues alongside trauma, mood, and addiction concerns. Her style is direct but warm, aiming to make sessions practical and easy to follow.

People who choose Shelly can expect straightforward conversations, skill-building exercises, and collaborative goal setting. She encourages realistic change over time and supports people as they try new coping strategies.

Practical therapeutic approaches for online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following your priorities. The therapist aims to understand your experience and help you set goals at a comfortable pace. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect and teaches clear techniques to change unhelpful patterns and improve mood and behavior.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with you to decide which methods fit your needs and goals. Together you will try strategies, check what works, and adjust the plan based on your progress and preferences.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone visits, live chat, or text-based messaging to keep therapy flexible. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation for skills work and deeper discussion. Phone sessions can be shorter check-ins or an easier option when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging work well for brief updates, reminders, and steady support between longer sessions.

These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between appointments. The therapist will help choose the format that best supports your goals and routine.