Michelle Zehner , LCSW, MD, LCSW-C

Michelle Zehner is a licensed clinical social worker with four years of professional experience supporting people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, and life transitions. She combines practical strategies with empathy to help clients build confidence, strengthen coping skills, and address challenges such as relationship difficulties, grief, addiction, and compassion fatigue. Her work includes focused support around trauma and abuse, and she uses EMDR therapy when appropriate to help process and reduce the impact of traumatic memories.

Michelle emphasizes a collaborative, client-centered approach that prioritizes a respectful, nonjudgmental space for sharing thoughts and feelings. She encourages clients to take the first step toward change and works alongside them to set realistic goals and develop the tools needed to meet those goals. Michelle holds LCSW and LCSW-C credentials, which are professional licenses for clinical social work, and she is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Her practice addresses a broad range of concerns including self-esteem, motivation, bipolar related issues, obsessions and compulsions, social anxiety, and intimacy-related struggles, with attention to the unique needs of young adults and families.

Whether a person seeks short-term coaching or longer-term therapy, Michelle aims to tailor care to each individual’s circumstances and strengths, helping them move toward greater stability and well-being.

Approaches Michelle Uses and What Online Therapy Offers

Client-centered therapy focuses on the individual’s own goals and priorities, creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the therapist follows the client’s lead to build insight and self-directed change. This approach is helpful for issues like low self-esteem, relationship concerns, and coping with life changes.

EMDR is a structured method used to help people process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional intensity. It can be beneficial for those who have experienced abuse, sexual assault, post-traumatic stress, or other trauma-related reactions.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and Michelle works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative planning helps shape a tailored path forward rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing clients to access licensed professionals from home or during busy schedules. These options make it easier to fit consistent care into daily life and to maintain momentum between sessions while working toward meaningful change.