- Client-centered approach
- Bilingual English Japanese
- Focus on relationships
About Michelle
Michelle Ikeda is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California. She uses a client-centered style to help people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, low self-esteem, anxiety, or relationship strain. Michelle speaks English and Japanese and aims to create a respectful, compassionate space for people from different backgrounds.
She draws on experience in social services and healthcare to address practical problems alongside emotional ones. That includes parenting challenges, custody or guardianship concerns, adoption and foster care issues, and caregiving stress. Michelle also supports people facing grief, trauma and abuse, chronic illness or disability, and life changes that affect work or relationships.
In sessions she focuses on listening carefully, improving communication, and helping clients identify small steps that make daily life easier. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools are used when helpful to notice unhelpful thoughts and try different responses. Motivational Interviewing helps people clarify what they want and take manageable action toward those goals.
Michelle has worked with a wide age range and with families connected to child welfare and long-term care settings. She has particular experience supporting family members of people with dementia and of those with developmental differences such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her background includes intensive case management and direct service roles in healthcare environments.
Her current regular availability tends to be on weekends and some holidays, with occasional weekday evenings for ongoing clients. Prospective clients should use the site process to match and schedule a first session.
She draws on experience in social services and healthcare to address practical problems alongside emotional ones. That includes parenting challenges, custody or guardianship concerns, adoption and foster care issues, and caregiving stress. Michelle also supports people facing grief, trauma and abuse, chronic illness or disability, and life changes that affect work or relationships.
In sessions she focuses on listening carefully, improving communication, and helping clients identify small steps that make daily life easier. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools are used when helpful to notice unhelpful thoughts and try different responses. Motivational Interviewing helps people clarify what they want and take manageable action toward those goals.
Michelle has worked with a wide age range and with families connected to child welfare and long-term care settings. She has particular experience supporting family members of people with dementia and of those with developmental differences such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her background includes intensive case management and direct service roles in healthcare environments.
Her current regular availability tends to be on weekends and some holidays, with occasional weekday evenings for ongoing clients. Prospective clients should use the site process to match and schedule a first session.