Michele McShea, LCSW

Michele McShea is an Illinois LCSW with 19 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, addictions, grief, trauma and LGBT-related concerns. Michele also helps people who struggle with low self-esteem, intimacy issues, codependency, and major life changes.

She favors a mix of practical coping and deeper self-reflection. Michele combines short-term strategies with discussions that look at patterns from the past. In sessions she helps people learn new skills to manage symptoms while also exploring what drives old habits and reactions.

Her work often focuses on relationship patterns and the effects of family of origin. She addresses problems such as abandonment fears, communication difficulties, control issues, and problems around commitment. She also supports people dealing with infidelity, divorce and separation, and the isolation that sometimes follows big life changes.

Michele uses approaches that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic ideas, solution-focused methods, existential questions, and hypnotherapy. She draws from different methods to match what a person needs in the moment, using practical exercises and reflective conversation.

People who reach out can expect clear conversation about goals and steps to take. Michele encourages learning coping skills alongside building insight. That combination aims to increase day-to-day functioning while addressing deeper patterns that keep people stuck.

How her approaches translate to online work