- 17 years experience
- LMFT in California
- Focus on self esteem
About Michelle
Michelle Bonner is a licensed marriage and family therapist who helps people manage stress, anxiety, parenting struggles, family conflict, and low self-esteem. She brings 17 years of experience supporting people through life changes and the emotional fallout of trauma. Michelle speaks plainly and offers a calm, respectful presence that many clients find easy to talk with.
Her approach is practical and person-centered. She listens first, then works with each person to build small, manageable steps toward clearer thinking and steadier moods. Michelle uses tools from cognitive behavioral work to shift unhelpful thoughts and from mindfulness to build present-moment awareness.
She also draws on solution-focused methods to set short-term goals and on trauma-focused ideas when past hurts are affecting daily life. Michelle adapts sessions to focus on issues like adoption and foster care, blended family challenges, caregiver stress, and discrimination-related concerns. She pays attention to family of origin patterns and communication problems that keep difficulties repeating.
Michelle tailors the pace to what each person needs. Sessions cover skill-building, problem solving, and gentle reflection. Parents often get straightforward strategies for managing behavior and improving connection.
Therapy starts with a conversation about what you want to change. From there she and the client map practical steps and check progress over time. Michelle aims to help people feel more confident, more capable, and more understood.
Her approach is practical and person-centered. She listens first, then works with each person to build small, manageable steps toward clearer thinking and steadier moods. Michelle uses tools from cognitive behavioral work to shift unhelpful thoughts and from mindfulness to build present-moment awareness.
She also draws on solution-focused methods to set short-term goals and on trauma-focused ideas when past hurts are affecting daily life. Michelle adapts sessions to focus on issues like adoption and foster care, blended family challenges, caregiver stress, and discrimination-related concerns. She pays attention to family of origin patterns and communication problems that keep difficulties repeating.
Michelle tailors the pace to what each person needs. Sessions cover skill-building, problem solving, and gentle reflection. Parents often get straightforward strategies for managing behavior and improving connection.
Therapy starts with a conversation about what you want to change. From there she and the client map practical steps and check progress over time. Michelle aims to help people feel more confident, more capable, and more understood.