About Michelle
Michelle Durham is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in the District of Columbia. She offers calm, practical support for people coping with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, workplace stress, and substance concerns. Michelle keeps sessions direct and focused so parents and busy adults can get clear steps they can try between meetings.
Michelle brings 19 years of experience in community and nonprofit mental health settings. She has worked with people facing homelessness, unemployment, trauma, domestic violence, and the effects of incarceration or foster care exit.
Background and approach
That background shaped her skill at listening closely and making plans that fit each person's life. Her style is warm and straightforward. She starts by asking what matters to the person in front of her, then builds simple tools and goals together.
Michelle emphasizes self-care and practical strategies that people can use right away to manage stress, anger, or anxiety. In sessions she blends several approaches to match the client's needs. That can involve cognitive behavioral techniques to change unhelpful patterns, acceptance and commitment ideas to clarify values, mindfulness skills to steady attention, and narrative work to reframe difficult experiences.
Michelle also pays attention to cultural context and life circumstances when shaping a plan. She describes therapy as a team effort where the client’s priorities set the direction. Her background in trauma-focused work informs a careful, respectful pace when addressing painful memories.
How Michelle Uses Evidence-Based Methods Online
Michelle integrates cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy into online sessions in straightforward, practical ways. CBT helps identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that feed anxiety or low mood, often using short exercises and homework to build new habits. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small actions that align with those values while learning to accept uncomfortable feelings.She approaches treatment collaboratively and tailors techniques to each person. Together the client and therapist decide which methods fit best, then try them and adjust as needed. That collaborative process helps people find strategies that match their goals and daily routines.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video sessions work well for in-depth conversation and exercises that benefit from visual cues. Phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief check-ins, coping reminders, or when scheduling a short check-in around a busy day. These options help people fit therapy into work, caregiving, or other obligations while using evidence-based approaches.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- First responder issues
- Grief
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Multicultural concerns
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 19 years
- Licensed
- District of Columbia
- Languages
- English
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