Michelle Bartnik, LPC

Michelle Bartnik is a licensed professional counselor in Michigan who helps people facing stress, anxiety, family strain, trauma, parenting challenges, and mood concerns. She speaks plainly and works with clients to uncover strengths and move toward practical change. Michelle values each person's story and meets people where they are with steady support.

Michelle uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy alongside attachment-focused and client-centered ways of working. She helps people notice unhelpful patterns, test small changes, and build clearer communication. Sessions mix problem-solving with time to reflect on how past relationships shape current reactions.

Her approach is collaborative. She listens first, then offers techniques that fit a person’s daily life. That can mean trying new coping skills for anxiety, breaking big problems into smaller steps, or reshaping difficult thoughts that keep someone stuck.

Michelle draws on nine years of clinical experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor - LPC. She has worked with people dealing with grief, career shifts, ADHD, bipolar concerns, and complex family situations like adoption or blended households. Her background includes supporting those coping with trauma, emotional isolation, and caregiver stress.

Sessions aim to be practical and focused. Michelle helps clients set clear goals and track progress over time. The work combines listening, gentle challenge, and hands-on strategies to help people regain balance and move forward.

How approaches and online sessions work together

Michelle often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors that reduce anxiety and depression. CBT focuses on practical skill-building and short-term experiments that can change how someone feels day to day.

She also uses attachment-based ideas to look at how early and close relationships affect current reactions. That approach helps people understand patterns in family and relationship problems and learn different ways to connect. Client-centered work is woven throughout, which means sessions follow the client’s pace and priorities while the therapist offers empathetic listening and reflection.

Choosing the best approach is a shared process. Michelle will talk with each person about goals and preferences, try techniques, and adjust the plan as progress is seen. The aim is to find what actually helps in everyday life rather than sticking to a single method.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets people use visual cues and longer conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers no camera. Live chat and text messaging are useful for quick check-ins, brief coaching, or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, school, or caregiving schedules.