About Michele
Michele Bussell uses practical, evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help people manage stress, anxiety, mood concerns, and relationship issues. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with six years of experience.
Background and approach
Michele writes in a straightforward, calm way and focuses on helping people find steady ground when life feels overwhelming. She has worked in crisis residential treatment programs, school-based counseling, adult drug court substance programs, and behavioral health centers.
That background means she is familiar with intense moments and with day-to-day struggles that affect work, school, and relationships. Michele draws on those experiences to offer clear, down-to-earth support.
Michele believes people are the experts in their own lives. She asks questions that help a person notice strengths and use them to move forward.
Sessions encourage honest feeling without judgment so a whole person can engage in change. Typical concerns she addresses include stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar mood concerns, panic, relationship strain, low self-esteem, and challenges tied to attachment, abandonment, or workplace pressure.
She also supports people dealing with grief from divorce or separation and those facing guilt or shame. Her approach is practical and steady.
Michele helps people set small goals, track what works, and adjust plans when needed. She aims to make therapy feel manageable and useful for daily life.
How practical therapies work online
Michele draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on problem-solving and emotional regulation. One common approach helps people learn concrete skills to manage anxiety and panic, such as grounding exercises, breathing strategies, and step-by-step plans to face feared situations. Another approach emphasizes mood tracking and behavioral changes to address depression and bipolar mood concerns, using small, measurable goals to build routine and stability.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Michele works with each person to identify goals, try methods, and adjust the plan based on what helps. She encourages people to use their strengths and to test small changes between sessions so progress can be checked and refined together.
Online therapy with Michele is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and nonverbal cues. Phone sessions can fit into a short break or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging support shorter check-ins and ongoing reflection between scheduled appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into school, work, or family life while keeping treatment consistent and flexible.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
Also works with
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Control issues
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Guilt and shame
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
- Experience
- 6 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English