Michelle Garibaldi, LMFT

Michelle Garibaldi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California with more than two decades of clinical work. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting concerns, grief, addiction, and challenges related to aging and geriatric issues. Michelle listens carefully and works with each person to set clear, practical goals for change.

Her approach is collaborative and warm. She uses techniques from client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and narrative therapy to create short- and longer-term plans. Sessions focus on what a person wants to change and the steps that move them toward that goal.

Michelle draws on 23 years of experience to tailor sessions to everyday life. She names patterns, offers simple tools for coping, and practices skills together in session. She also helps people navigate big transitions like divorce, midlife shifts, career changes, loss, and end-of-life concerns.

Besides common mood and stress concerns, she addresses issues such as abandonment, attachment struggles, blended family dynamics, communication problems, intimacy-related issues, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. She also supports people dealing with first responder stress and fatherhood concerns by focusing on concrete problem solving.

Michelle works in English and serves clients in California. Her style is direct but compassionate, aiming to help people make steady, practical progress toward greater balance and purpose.

Therapeutic approaches and working online

Michelle commonly uses client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in sessions. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship, helping people name what matters and decide next steps. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches specific tools to break those patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, try methods that match those goals, and adjust the plan based on what is most helpful. This collaborative process helps identify the best mix of listening, skills practice, and homework tasks.

The practical benefits of online therapy can include fitting sessions into a busy week and keeping consistent momentum between appointments. Because the available session formats are not listed in the profile, confirm current options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to schedule regular check-ins, use short focused sessions when needed, and continue therapy through life transitions without long interruptions.