- Mindfulness practice
- Motivational work
- Solution-focused steps
About Michelle
Michelle Wincell OLeary is a Minnesota LICSW with 28 years of professional experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, anger, bipolar concerns, career strain, parenting challenges, grief, and compassion fatigue. Michelle also offers coaching for personal and professional goals.
She uses conversational, practical methods to help people get unstuck. Sessions focus on building motivation, increasing self-confidence, and developing coping tools for life changes. She draws on mindfulness practices and self-care exercises to support mental and emotional balance.
Michelle follows a client-centered approach that keeps the person’s goals in view. That means listening first, then tailoring short-term steps that feel doable. She also weaves in motivational interviewing to clarify goals and solution-focused work to identify immediate next steps.
Her background includes work with individuals, teams, and communities in Minnesota, especially during periods of local stress and crisis. That experience informs her attention to resilience, adaptability, and community connection. She notes the value of cultural and spiritual beliefs in shaping what helps people.
In sessions Michelle uses psychodynamic ideas when helpful to understand patterns from the past. She mixes reflection with practical coaching techniques so sessions alternate between insight and action. People meet to talk through problems, try small experiments, and build skills they can use between meetings.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Michelle uses client-centered therapy to focus the work on each person's priorities. That means the therapist listens closely, reflects what matters most, and helps set goals that feel relevant and manageable. This style helps with stress, self-esteem, relationship concerns, and anger by keeping the work practical and person-focused.She also brings mindfulness practice into sessions. Mindfulness work involves simple awareness exercises and breathing practices that reduce reactivity and help people notice urges before they act. That can be useful for managing frustration at work or tension in close relationships.
Motivational interviewing is another tool she uses to clarify what a person wants to change and to build commitment to small steps. It helps when someone feels stuck or unsure how to move forward with career shifts, self-care, or relationship boundaries.
Choosing the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. She will discuss options with clients, test what fits, and adjust methods based on goals and preferences. That shared decision-making helps keep sessions focused and practical.
Confirm the current session formats before booking, since specific online options are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit meetings into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time so people can focus on skill practice between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
28+ years
Listed in
Minnesota
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, anger, bipolar issues, self-esteem, career concerns, parenting strain, grief, compassion fatigue, and related challenges.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is client-centered and practical, combining listening with mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused techniques to set doable next steps.
How much experience does she bring?
She has 28 years of professional experience working with individuals, teams, and communities in Minnesota.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Minnesota LICSW and practices from Minnesota.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin?
Click the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.