- Stress and anxiety
- Blended family issues
- Trauma-informed care
About Michelle
Michelle Bonner is a California licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 17 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, family and parenting concerns, self-esteem struggles, and major life changes. Michelle also lists focused experience with adoption and foster care, blended family issues, caregiver stress, trauma, and mood concerns.
She keeps sessions straightforward and practical. Conversations usually focus on current problems and usable steps clients can try between meetings. Michelle draws on Client-Centered methods to listen closely and on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
When trauma is involved she uses Trauma-Focused techniques alongside Mindfulness strategies to help people notice their reactions and build small coping skills. Solution-Focused methods are used for quick, goal-oriented work when a clear short-term problem is the priority. The overall aim is clear: reduce immediate stress and build manageable ways to handle family and parenting challenges.
Michelle has worked with a wide range of family-related issues, including communication problems, family of origin concerns, domestic violence aftermath, and the particular pressures of remarriage and stephouseholds. She also notes experience with multicultural concerns, prejudice and discrimination, and recovery from sexual assault and abuse.
People who choose Michelle can expect practical talking, skill-building, and checkpoint-style planning. To begin, clients follow the site process to complete a short questionnaire and schedule an initial session.
How Michelle’s approaches work for online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters most to the client. It helps people feel heard and clarifies what they want to change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and gives practical exercises to shift unhelpful patterns. These approaches are often used together to address anxiety, stress, and parenting concerns.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Michelle will collaborate with the client to pick methods that match their goals and daily life. That might mean brief solution-focused steps for immediate problems, CBT exercises to try between sessions, or mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity. The choice is made together and adjusted as progress is tracked.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm the available options before booking. Online work can make fitting therapy into a busy week easier, allow shorter check-in meetings when needed, and remove travel time. It also makes it simpler to keep consistent appointments during life transitions such as moves, new household routines, or changes in caregiving duties.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
17+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of family concerns does she address?
She works with adults on family problems, communication breakdowns, blended family issues, and family of origin concerns.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Sessions are practical and conversational, using client-centered listening alongside CBT and solution-focused techniques to set achievable steps.
How much experience does she have?
She has 17 years of professional experience working with stress, trauma, parenting, and family challenges.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a California LMFT and practices from California.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or countries?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the biography.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started if I want to meet with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.