Michelle Lake, LPC

Michelle Lake is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) based in Michigan who uses practical, goal-focused therapy to help people move forward. She offers a calm and respectful presence while helping clients name problems and try new ways of coping.

Michelle works with a wide range of concerns such as depression, anxiety, addictions, grief, and anger. She also supports people dealing with trauma and abuse, parenting stress, relationship strain, sleep problems, and burnout from caregiving or work. ADHD, self-esteem, career changes, and life transitions are within her usual areas of focus.

Her sessions are interactive and down-to-earth. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and client-centered listening to help people change unhelpful thoughts, build practical skills, and clarify what matters most. Conversations are shaped around the person's goals and real-life situations rather than abstract theory.

Michelle brings four years of clinical experience working with adults facing emotional pain and stressful circumstances. She aims to create a steady, respectful space where people can try small changes and measure what helps. She meets clients where they are and adjusts pacing to each person's needs.

For those who prefer remote options, she provides sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging. Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a time that fits the client's routine.

How CBT and ACT translate to online work

Michelle uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify thought patterns that feed anxiety or low mood and to practice small behavior changes that produce visible results. CBT is practical and often focuses on concrete skills like sleep routines, coping plans for cravings, or stepwise exposure to feared situations.

She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify values and accept difficult feelings while still taking meaningful action. ACT can be useful for managing chronic worry, grief, or the frustration that comes with life transitions by focusing on what matters most rather than trying to eliminate every uncomfortable emotion.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences, try methods that fit a client's situation, and adjust plans based on what helps. Clients and therapist work together to choose whether CBT, ACT, or client-centered listening best suits each stage of work.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is good for face-to-face interaction and visual cues, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat can be used for quick check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between appointments.