Profile / United States
Michelle Garibaldi, LMFT
California
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - Anxiety and Relationships
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- Mindfulness tools
- Motivational interviewing
About Michelle
Michelle Garibaldi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 23 years of clinical experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, and issues around intimacy and addiction. Her work also covers sleep difficulties, parenting strain, anger, low self-esteem, career transitions, and attention-related concerns like ADHD.
Michelle uses practical, goal-focused methods to clarify what a client wants to change. She listens for patterns in thinking and behavior and introduces small experiments to test new responses. Sessions are collaborative and intended to produce concrete steps people can try between meetings.
Her approach draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thoughts and habits, and on client-centered ideas to keep the work focused on each person’s priorities. She also uses existential perspectives to discuss values and meaning, mindfulness techniques to build present-moment awareness, and motivational interviewing to support readiness for change.
Michelle has worked with a wide range of concerns across long-term practice. She often combines short-term skill work with deeper conversation about life direction and attachment. That mix aims to address symptoms and the underlying patterns that keep them returning.
People who choose her can expect direct, structured sessions that move from assessment to practical strategies. Early meetings focus on clear goals and a plan for what to try next. Over time the emphasis shifts to sustaining changes and preventing setbacks.
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Michelle commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. CBT sessions often include specific exercises, homework, and step-by-step strategies useful for problems like anxiety, low mood, sleep issues, and stress.She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on the person's priorities and pace. That approach centers the client's experience and helps shape goals that feel relevant. Existential Therapy is another strand she draws on to discuss values, meaning, and life direction when people face midlife questions, grief, or big transitions.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the early work. The therapist and client decide together which methods to emphasize, based on goals, preferences, and what seems most helpful in practice. That collaborative process may shift over time as progress is tracked.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, cut out travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also supports exercises like mindfulness practice and CBT homework that can be reviewed together during a session.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she focus on?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, intimacy issues, sleep problems, parenting strain, anger, self-esteem, career change, ADHD, and related topics.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Sessions are practical and collaborative. She looks for clear goals and uses structured techniques to test different responses between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 23 years of experience as a practicing therapist in California.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are used?
Session formats are not specified here; please confirm the current session options before booking.
How are fees handled and how do I begin?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To get started, select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.