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LCSW

Michelle Varady, LCSW

  • Experience10 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Addictions
  • Therapy approachesCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
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Check the available next steps for working with Michelle online.

About Michelle

Michelle Varady brings a decade of clinical experience to her practice and holds LCSW licenses in California and Nevada.

Background and approach

She centers her work on helping people move beyond symptom management toward meaningful change, drawing on evidence-based techniques to address concerns such as stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, low self-esteem, grief, sleep problems, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.

Her training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Somatic Therapy, which she integrates to match each client's needs. Her style blends practical skills teaching with attention to deeper patterns that maintain distress.

Clients can expect an approach that emphasizes developing coping strategies for day-to-day challenges while also exploring underlying dynamics like impulsivity, codependency, control issues, and communication problems. Michelle describes therapy as a collaborative process that supports people working through life changes, mood and personality concerns, panic and phobias, substance-related issues, and the emotional fallout of abandonment or aging.

She accepts international clients and offers services in English from her California practice.

Integrating Practical Skills and Mind-Body Work Online

Michelle blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Somatic Therapy to give clients both thought-focused tools and body-centered strategies. CBT helps identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behavioral habits that contribute to anxiety, depression, or ADHD-related difficulties, while Somatic Therapy attends to physical sensations and stress responses to help process trauma or intense emotions.

She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness-informed techniques to build emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and present-moment awareness. Together these approaches offer concrete skills for coping with panic, impulsivity, mood swings, and cravings, and they can be adapted to individual goals and preferences. Choosing the right mix of methods is a collaborative process; the therapist works with each person to determine which approaches feel most useful and adjusts the plan as therapy unfolds.

Online sessions are available via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for those with busy schedules or limited local options. These formats allow licensed professionals to deliver teaching, guided exercises, and ongoing support in ways that fit daily life and make it easier to maintain consistency in treatment.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Michelle address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, self-esteem struggles, grief, sleeping difficulties, bipolar disorder, and ADHD along with related topics such as impulsivity and codependency.
How would you describe her therapeutic approach and style?
The approach combines practical skill-building with exploration of deeper patterns, using tools from CBT, DBT, mindfulness, solution-focused work, and somatic techniques to help clients manage symptoms and explore underlying dynamics.
What is her professional background?
Michelle has ten years of clinical experience and has developed expertise in addressing mood disorders, trauma-related concerns, substance-related issues, and complex co-morbidity.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds LCSW licenses in California and Nevada with license numbers CA LCSW 129263 and NV LCSW 11399-C and practices from California.
Can she work with people who live outside the United States?
Yes, she accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English for those living outside the therapist's state.
In what formats are sessions offered?
Sessions are available through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How does pricing and payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to get started?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Also works with

GriefSleeping disordersBipolar disorderCoping with life changesADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDrug and alcohol addictionForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityMidlife crisisMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

10+ years

Licensed

Nevada, California

Languages

English

What Michelle can help with

Michelle Varady works with clients on stress and anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and depression.

How Michelle approaches therapy

Michelle's clinical approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, and Internal Family Systems.

Michelle teaches powerful tools for managing day-to-day symptoms using integrated approaches like CBT and DBT.

Experience and training

Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in California.