Michelle Clisby , LCSW

Michelle Clisby is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in California. She brings 15 years of experience to her work and focuses on women's issues among a broad set of concerns. Michelle aims to create an open space where people can name what is hard and feel heard without judgment.

She helps people address relationship strain, family problems, and communication breakdowns. She also works with issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and stress. Michelle supports people coping with life changes, grief, and intimacy-related concerns.

Michelle offers help for addiction-related struggles, anger, and career questions, and she provides guidance for those managing ADHD, bipolar concerns, or compassion fatigue. She has additional focus areas that include adoption and foster care, blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, and end-of-life and hospice counseling.

In sessions she encourages honest conversation and practical steps. She partners with people to set goals and try manageable changes between meetings. The work is collaborative, paced to what each person needs, and centered on what matters most to them.

People looking to begin can expect straightforward talk and steady problem-solving. Michelle uses her experience to help people find clearer thinking, better routines, and healthier ways of relating to others.

Online approaches and how they help

Michelle often uses straightforward, evidence-based techniques to help people manage symptoms and make change. One common approach focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and trying new ways of thinking and behaving to reduce anxiety and depression. This helps people test small changes and notice different results over time.

Another approach emphasizes problem-solving and skill building for relationships and daily stress. It teaches communication strategies, ways to manage strong emotions like anger, and practical steps for organizing routines or parenting tasks. These methods can be useful for coping with life changes, grief, or caregiver stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Michelle will collaborate with each person to choose techniques that match their goals, comfort level, and preferences. She adjusts methods over time based on what is helpful and what is not.

Online therapy offers flexibility to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a longer session is needed. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth or camera use is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging can be helpful for quick check-ins, short coaching-style support, or when someone prefers typing to speaking. These options make it easier to maintain steady contact and adapt care to the person’s schedule.