Michelle Clisby, LCSW

Michelle Clisby is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with 15 years of experience. She focuses on helping people navigate relationship strain, family conflict, low self-esteem, depression, and motivation. Michelle aims to make the first step toward change feel manageable and supported.

She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where people can talk through their thoughts and feelings. Sessions are conversational and practical, with attention to what is happening now and what can be changed next. Michelle listens for patterns in relationships, communication, and coping skills, and helps clients try new ways of responding.

Michelle also works with stress, anxiety, grief, trauma or abuse, and addiction-related concerns. She supports people dealing with intimacy issues, infidelity, and the challenges that come with parenting, blended families, adoption, and caregiving. Career stress, anger, and feelings of emptiness are also part of her practice.

Her work includes supporting people facing life transitions, hospice and end-of-life questions, and the practical strains of aging or caregiver responsibilities. She brings experience addressing domestic violence, substance concerns, bipolar mood challenges, and compassion fatigue among caregivers.

Michelle’s approach is flexible and straightforward. She helps people set small goals, practice new communication skills, and build routines that fit day-to-day life. If you want to explore relationship or intimacy issues, addiction or recovery concerns, or everyday stress that feels overwhelming, she can help you sort next steps.

Approaches for relationships and life transitions

Michelle uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical change and clearer communication. One common approach helps people identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, then practice small, doable changes to improve mood and interactions. This kind of work is often helpful for depression, anxiety, and stress-related struggles.

Another approach centers on relationship skills and communication. It teaches ways to express needs, set boundaries, and repair moments of conflict, which can be useful for intimacy issues, infidelity concerns, and family tensions. These techniques aim to make daily interactions less reactive and more constructive.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Michelle will work with clients to choose techniques that fit their goals, values, and daily life. She combines listening with practical suggestions and adjusts plans as progress and priorities change.

Session formats are not specified in the supplied biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals can also adapt exercises for phone or video sessions to match energy levels, bandwidth, and what feels most manageable for the client.