About Michelle
Michelle Wincell OLeary is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) based in Minnesota. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career struggles, grief, and phobias. She also supports those dealing with compassion fatigue, depression, bipolar concerns, parenting strain, and relationship or workplace issues.
Michelle uses a calm, respectful style. Sessions focus on what matters to the client. She listens first, then helps people set clear, realistic steps toward change.
Background and approach
Her approach blends conversation, practical tools, and reflection. Her work draws on client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s goals and values. She also uses mindfulness practices to build steady attention and reduce reactivity.
Motivational interviewing helps when deciding on next steps or making a change. Michelle describes herself as a guide and coach as well as a therapist. She invites clients to explore self-care, meditation, and inner discovery to shape a life they want.
Meetings are collaborative and paced to the individual’s needs. Having practiced for many years in Minnesota, she brings experience with community response and resilience after local events. That background informs how she supports people coping with community stress and change.
Michelle aims to create a nonjudgmental space where people can try new ways of coping and grow toward their goals.
Approaches that guide online sessions
Client-centered therapy centers on the person and their goals. The therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and helps clients choose the direction of work. This approach is useful for building self-esteem, clarifying values, and deciding next steps.Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing skills to reduce overwhelm. It helps people notice feelings and bodily reactions without getting swept away, which is useful for anxiety, stress, and managing strong emotions.
Motivational interviewing focuses on exploring a person's reasons for change and strengthening inner motivation. It is practical when someone is unsure about next steps in career, health, or relationships.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist will work together with each client to match methods to their needs, goals, and preferences. Sessions are flexible and adjusted over time if one approach proves more helpful.
Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let people meet face-to-face from different locations. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when a camera is not preferred. Live chat and text-based messaging provide quick check-ins, brief coaching, and support between longer sessions. These options help fit therapy into busy schedules and different daily routines.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Parenting issues
- Phobias
- Relationship issues
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 28 years
- Licensed
- Minnesota
- Languages
- English
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