Michelle Lakefield

Michelle Lakefield is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and concerns around relationships and parenting. She aims to make the first step easier by offering a calm, nonjudgmental space to talk about hard things.

Her approach is practical and conversational. She listens closely and helps clients set achievable goals. She uses methods that help people notice unhelpful thoughts, try different behaviors, and build on strengths already in their lives.

Michelle also supports clients dealing with trauma and abuse, grief, anger, and intimacy-related issues. She works with those coping with ADHD, bipolar disorder, eating concerns, and compassion fatigue. She addresses communication problems, commitment issues, and struggles tied to family of origin and blended family situations.

Additionally, she has experience around autism and Asperger Syndrome, caregiver stress, co-morbidity, and recovery from domestic violence or separation. She helps people who feel empty or stuck to identify small changes that can make daily life easier.

Sessions are meant to be collaborative. Michelle helps people weigh options, try solutions, and track what helps over time. She encourages practical steps that fit into everyday routines and adjusts approaches as needs change.

How therapeutic approaches guide online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters to the client. It helps people feel understood and supports exploration of choices and values in everyday life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It helps break down problems into small steps and teaches practical techniques people can use between sessions.

Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on strengths and forward movement. It is useful for identifying immediate goals and testing small changes that can lead to quick improvements.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences. Plans are adjusted as progress is made and new needs appear.

The practical benefits of online therapy include easier scheduling and fitting sessions into a busy day. Online options can make check-ins shorter when needed, reduce travel time, and allow work to continue from different locations. Because the specific session formats are not listed in the biography, confirm the available formats before booking. This helps make sure timing and session length suit daily routines.