- Client-centered care
- Practical coping skills
- Goal focused work
About Michelle
Michelle Lakefield is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey with over 20 years of clinical experience. She welcomes people seeking help for stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and related concerns. She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where feelings and worries can be talked through. Michelle encourages small first steps and recognizes how hard it can be to reach out for help.
Her approach centers on working with each person where they are. She uses client-centered methods to follow what matters most to the individual. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps identify unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and create straightforward ways to try things differently.
Michelle also draws on solution-focused strategies to set clear, achievable goals and track small changes over time. When helpful, she incorporates Internal Family Systems ideas to look at parts of a person’s inner life and how they interact. This mix aims to be practical and tailored to what a person wants to change.
She has supported people dealing with relationship strain, parenting stress, codependency, trauma and abuse, mood differences such as bipolar, ADHD, and issues around intimacy and communication. Michelle can also help with caregiver stress, blended family challenges, and coping with life transitions.
Clients can expect direct talk, collaborative planning, and clear next steps at each session. Michelle values realistic goals and steady progress rather than quick fixes.
Approaches online and how they help
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding. The therapist follows what matters to the person and helps them find their own solutions; this is useful when someone feels stuck or misunderstood. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It offers practical exercises to test new behaviors and reduce anxiety or low mood. Solution-Focused Therapy aims for small, achievable steps and is helpful when clear, short-term goals are a priority.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, preferences, and what has or has not helped in the past. Together they decide which methods to use and try different strategies if something does not fit. That makes the process collaborative and tailored to the individual's needs.
Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel, and allow check-ins during convenient times. Some people prefer a quick phone check-in or a full video conversation, while others find shorter sessions or different scheduling rhythms easier to maintain. Discussing practical preferences helps shape how therapy fits into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Michelle commonly address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, and codependency among other concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm and pragmatic. She follows a client-centered stance while using CBT and solution-focused techniques to set and reach concrete goals.
What is Michelle's professional background?
Michelle has more than 20 years of professional experience working with people facing emotional and relationship challenges.
What credentials does she hold and where does she practice?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, licensed in New Jersey and practices there.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people from other countries work with her?
She accepts international clients.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
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?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, then schedule based on the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.