MM Portrait of Michele McShea

Michele McShea, LCSW

Experienced LCSW offering practical, hopeful therapy

19 years in practice · based in Illinois · sessions in English · online sessions

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About Michele

Michele McShea is a licensed clinical social worker with 19 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and phobias. She works with individuals and brings a steady, hopeful approach to therapy. Michele aims to help people build confidence and better handle day-to-day challenges.

Michele believes healing grows from small steps that add up. She uses both insight and practical coping skills so clients can feel more capable.

Book with Michele Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Background and approach

Sessions often focus on strengthening self-esteem, repairing relationship patterns, and addressing trauma and grief in manageable ways. Her work covers a wide range of concerns, including addictions, intimacy-related issues, and family of origin struggles. She also supports people dealing with abandonment, body image, codependency, commitment concerns, and communication problems.

Michele is experienced addressing HIV / AIDS related issues, infidelity, and the isolation that can follow major life changes. Michele draws on several therapy styles to match each person’s needs. She blends cognitive behavioral techniques with psychodynamic ideas and solution-focused steps to create clear, actionable work in sessions.

Hypnotherapy and existential perspectives are additional tools she may use when they fit the client’s goals. People who connect with Michele often want a balance of understanding and practical guidance. She encourages collaboration, helping clients set short-term goals and build skills that support lasting change.

Michele practices in Illinois and offers services in English.

Approaches that translate to online therapy

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It breaks problems into specific patterns and teaches practical skills to reduce anxiety, manage phobias, and change unhelpful behaviors. Existential therapy looks at meaning, choice, and responsibility in life and helps people facing emptiness, major life changes, or questions about purpose. It encourages honest reflection and clearer direction.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Michele will listen to your goals, discuss different methods, and agree on strategies that fit your needs and preferences. That collaborative process helps shape sessions so they address immediate concerns while building toward longer-term change.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let you work face-to-face from another location and are good for deep conversations and skills practice. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when you prefer not to be on camera. Live chat or text-based messaging supports quick check-ins, brief reflections, or follow-up between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between meetings.
Book with Michele Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Questions people ask

What issues does Michele focus on?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, phobias, addictions, trauma and grief, and many related concerns such as body image, codependency, and isolation.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach balances insight with practical coping skills, using a mix of techniques to set short-term goals and build everyday skills.
What is her professional background?
She has 19 years of clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and groups and has supported clients through a wide range of life challenges.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an IL LCSW, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Illinois.
Can people who live outside the U.S. work with her?
Yes, she accepts international clients and offers services in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be held via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to begin working together?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

What this therapist works with

Most often

Experience
19 years
Licensed
Illinois
Languages
English

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