Michelle McHugh , LICSW, LCSW

Michelle McHugh is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 23 years of clinical experience. She earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the NYU School of Social Work and has practiced in a range of settings including inpatient addiction rehabilitation, inpatient psychiatric care, and outpatient mental health clinics.

Her clinical focus includes LGBTQIA concerns, substance use disorders, trauma and PTSD, codependency, shame reduction, and related issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, grief, sleep problems, and self-esteem challenges. She also emphasizes work with aging and geriatric concerns, first responders, veterans, and military service members, building on more than 11 years of active service in the Army National Guard as a Behavioral Health Officer and eight years working directly with active Guard soldiers and veterans from all branches.

McHugh practices in a collaborative, client-centered manner that avoids stigmatizing language and labels. She integrates a range of evidence-based techniques - including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practices, Motivational Interviewing, elements of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and 12-step recovery principles - and tailors interventions to each person’s needs. She is trained and certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy and in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma treatment, and adapts her methods to align with clients’ goals and circumstances.

Therapeutic Approaches Adapted for Online Care

Michelle McHugh draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors - a practical approach often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and many day-to-day challenges. She also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a trauma-focused method that helps people process distressing memories and reduce their emotional intensity, which can be useful for those with PTSD or trauma histories. Mindfulness Therapy is incorporated to cultivate present-moment awareness and stress regulation, supporting coping with anxiety, cravings, and emotional reactivity.

Selecting the right approach is part of the therapeutic process; Michelle McHugh works collaboratively with each person to determine which techniques best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as work progresses. This collaborative stance helps ensure interventions fit the client rather than forcing a single method.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions may be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging - allowing clients to access licensed professionals from different locations and at times that suit their lives. These options can make it easier to maintain consistency in care while using evidence-based approaches adapted for remote delivery.