Michelle DeFino, LCSW

Michelle DeFino is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a master’s-level mental health professional trained to provide therapy and support for a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns. She works with adults navigating challenges such as substance use and co-occurring concerns, as well as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other serious mental health symptoms. Her background includes experience within a Federal Re-entry Substance Abuse Program over the past three years, where she has supported people working to rebuild stability and momentum in their lives.

Her work draws from practical, evidence-informed methods tailored to each person’s needs, including Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These approaches can help strengthen motivation for change while also identifying unhelpful patterns in thoughts and behaviors that may be keeping problems in place. She also integrates mindfulness-based strategies to support focus and concentration, which can be useful when stress or intense emotions make it difficult to stay grounded.

Michelle recognizes that reaching out for help can feel difficult, and she approaches therapy as a supportive partnership focused on moving toward solutions and the life a client hopes to build. While she is open to different ways of working together, she prefers video sessions because it can make it easier to connect and get to know one another.