Michelle Pennella, LMHC

Michelle Pennella is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York. She brings four years of clinical experience to short-term and longer-term concerns like anxiety, depression, grief, and mood disorders. Michelle aims to make therapy straightforward and practical for people juggling busy lives.

She focuses on helping clients understand what matters to them and build skills to manage intense emotions. In sessions she listens closely, asks clear questions, and works with each person to set realistic goals. The tone is warm and nonjudgmental while keeping work focused and doable.

Michelle often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice patterns of thinking that worsen mood and behavior. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and mindfulness tools to support value-driven actions and stress management. These approaches are adapted to each person's needs rather than applied the same way to everyone.

Many clients bring concerns such as trauma, intrusive thoughts, relationship strain, or life transitions in their 20s through 50s. Michelle helps people build coping skills for impulsivity, obsessive thoughts, shame, loneliness, and parenting or career stress when those come up.

Sessions are collaborative and skill-focused. Michelle helps people practice new ways of responding between sessions and checks progress regularly. The goal is clearer thinking, steadier mood, and more confidence in handling everyday challenges.

How Michelle's approaches translate to online therapy

Michelle commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and try small behavioral experiments. CBT is practical for anxiety, depression, obsessive thinking, and many mood concerns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is another approach she uses; it teaches skills to accept difficult feelings while focusing on valued actions and life direction. Client-Centered Therapy informs how she listens and reflects, creating space for people to lead where they want to go.

Choosing which approach to use is a team effort. Michelle will work with each person to decide what fits best based on goals, preferences, and how someone responds in early sessions. She often blends methods so the work matches real-life needs rather than sticking to a single model.

Online sessions include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which makes therapy flexible for different schedules. Video is useful for deeper work and exercises that need visual cues. Phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for quick check-ins. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for brief updates, coping reminders, or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options help people fit therapy into work, parenting, or other commitments without long commutes.