About Michelle
Michelle Gossard is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Iowa with 15 years of clinical experience. She works with adults who feel overwhelmed, unusually irritable, or who notice their relationships are suffering. Her practice often addresses stress, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, grief, parenting strains, and career concerns.
Michelle draws on client-centered methods to make room for each person's story. She also uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking patterns. Solution-focused work is used to identify practical steps a person can try between sessions.
Sessions tend to be straightforward and goal-oriented. Michelle helps people learn concrete ways to manage thoughts, feelings, and reactions so everyday situations feel more manageable. She also encourages accountability and small behavior changes that add up over time.
Her background includes work in both clinical and military settings, and she notes experience with deployment-related challenges. Michelle is a military spouse and a parent, and she brings that everyday perspective into conversations about relationships and life strain.
People who come for help with anger, relationship friction, or persistent worry will find a focus on skills and practical next steps. The first meetings generally map current struggles and set short-term goals. From there, sessions emphasize what can be changed now and how to build on small successes.
How Michelle's approaches translate to online work
Client-centered therapy means conversations that focus on the person's perspective and what matters most to them. The therapist reflects and asks questions so the client leads where to focus, which helps with relationship stress and emotional overwhelm.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches practical tools to shift unhelpful thinking and try different behaviors, useful for anxiety, anger, panic and low mood.
Solution-focused therapy zeroes in on small, concrete steps that move a person forward. It is action-oriented and often produces quick experiments a client can try between sessions to see what helps.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Michelle will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. That decision can change over time as needs shift.
Confirm the exact session formats available before you book, since the biography does not list them. Online work can make scheduling easier and help therapy fit around work or family demands. It also allows short check-ins or focused skill practice that can be squeezed into a busy week without requiring long travel.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
Iowa
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, grief, parenting and career concerns as listed in her profile.
What is her therapy style like?
She uses client-centered conversation alongside cognitive behavioral and solution-focused techniques. Sessions focus on practical skills and short-term goals.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 15 years of experience working in clinical and military settings.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) licensed in Iowa and practices from that state.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients.
Which session formats are available?
The original biography did not specify session formats, so confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.