Michelle DeFino, LCSW

Licensed in New Jersey · 3 years in practice

Michelle DeFino is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps people facing addiction, grief, mood struggles, and life changes.

License and registration

LCSW, New Jersey: 44SC05618700 · expires August 2026
LCSW, New York: 090260-01 · expires August 2026
NPI: 1861820607 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 3
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Michelle

Michelle DeFino is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps people facing addiction, grief, mood struggles, and life changes. She offers straightforward support for stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting concerns, and challenges like bipolar disorder. Michelle practices from New York and works in English.

Michelle focuses on practical steps people can use day to day. She blends Client-Centered Therapy with techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to help change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Background and approach

Motivational Interviewing is used when someone is unsure about change, and mindfulness exercises are introduced to improve focus and calm. Her work centers on clear goals and small, manageable changes. Sessions may include conversations about how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect, learning new coping skills, and practicing short mindfulness exercises.

She also addresses practical stressors such as caregiver strain, money worries, communication problems, and codependency. Michelle has three years of clinical experience and has spent time working with people affected by substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns. That background informs a pragmatic approach that balances listening with tools people can try between sessions.

People choosing Michelle can expect a collaborative process. She helps clients set concrete goals, tracks progress, and adjusts methods as needed. The aim is steady improvement in daily functioning and relief from the issues that led someone to reach out.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Michelle lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Addictions
Grief
Anger management
Depression
Coping with life changes
Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Trauma and abuse
Parenting issues
Self esteem
Bipolar disorder
Aging and geriatric issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Codependency
Communication problems
Control issues
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Impulsivity
Money and financial issues
Social anxiety and phobia

Approaches Michelle names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How therapeutic approaches work online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to each person's needs, so sessions center on what matters most to the client and build from their strengths and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts and behaviors interact and teaches practical tools to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, adds skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improved communication when intense feelings cause problems.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try techniques that fit those goals, and adjust the plan over time. This means methods may change as progress is made or new needs appear.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for seeing nonverbal cues and building rapport, phone sessions can be a good fit when bandwidth is limited, and chat or messaging work for brief check-ins or on-the-go support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to continue work between in-person commitments.

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Questions people ask

What kinds of problems does Michelle address?

She works with addictions, grief, anger, depression, anxiety, trauma and abuse, parenting concerns, bipolar disorder, and related issues like social phobia and impulsivity.

What is her general therapy style?

Her style is practical and collaborative, focusing on goals, problem solving, and teaching skills from evidence-based approaches to improve daily functioning.

What previous experience does she bring?

She has three years of clinical experience and has worked with people affected by substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns, including a federal re-entry substance program.

Where is she based and what credentials does she hold?

She practices from New York and holds the credential LCSW, with licensure in New Jersey and New York as listed.

Which languages are offered for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

How are sessions delivered online?

Sessions are available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what fits the person.

How does billing and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What is the first step to begin working together?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

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