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LMFT

Michele Downey, LMFT

  • Experience35 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Addictions
  • LanguagesEnglish
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About Michele

Michele Downey is a California-licensed LMFT with 35 years of clinical experience who works with people seeking relief from stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship difficulties, depression, and other life challenges including ADHD.

Background and approach

She approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, shaping conversations and treatment plans to reflect individual needs and goals. Michele emphasizes strength-building and practical coping strategies while offering guidance through grief, trauma, caregiver stress, and complex mood concerns.

Clients looking for support with intimacy, self-esteem, anger, sleep and eating concerns, or major life transitions can expect a collaborative relationship focused on empowerment and steady progress. Michele also addresses blended family dynamics, codependency, communication problems, and substance-related issues, helping clients explore family-of-origin patterns, forgiveness, and life purpose.

Her practice centers on tailoring care to the person in front of her and supporting the changes people want to make in their lives.

Evidence-Based Techniques and Flexible Online Care

Many clients benefit from approaches that focus on present-day coping skills and rebuilding emotional balance. Cognitive-behavioral strategies help identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop practical techniques for anxiety, depression, and ADHD-related challenges. These methods emphasize skill-building and measurable behavioral changes that can reduce distress and improve daily functioning.

Another frequently used method centers on trauma-informed and grief-sensitive care, which offers ways to process difficult experiences at a pace that feels manageable. This approach supports people coping with loss, compassion fatigue, or past abuse by fostering safety, emotional regulation, and gradual integration of painful memories.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to determine which techniques fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online therapy with Michele uses video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for scheduling and communication style. These options can make it easier to maintain continuity of care while balancing work, family, or other commitments, and they allow licensed professionals to deliver consistent support from varied locations.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Michele commonly help with?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and intimacy difficulties, depression, grief, trauma, ADHD, and mood disorders.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her approach is respectful and compassionate, focusing on tailoring dialogue and treatment plans to each person's unique needs and goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 35 years of professional experience working with a variety of emotional and behavioral concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a California LMFT license number CA LMFT 23607 and practices in California.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are provided in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which formats are available for sessions?
She offers several online formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.
How are sessions billed and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsRelationship issuesDepressionCompassion fatigue

Also works with

Trauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingADHD

Additional focus areas

Blended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommunication problemsDependent personalityDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Social anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English

What Michele can help with

Michele Downey works with clients on stress and anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, depression, and compassion fatigue.

Michele works with clients with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, relationship issues, and depression.

Experience and training

Michele is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in California, with 35 years of clinical experience.