Michelle Wincell OLeary

Michelle Wincell OLeary is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) in Minnesota with 28 years of professional experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, career hurdles, and the strain of life changes. Michelle also supports those dealing with compassion fatigue, grief, anger, and challenges around parenting and relationships. She notes isolation and loneliness among her focus areas and offers coaching for personal and professional goals.

Her approach centers on listening first and following each person’s lead. Sessions are meant to be a calm place to talk through thoughts and feelings without judgment. She draws on mindfulness and meditation to build self-care habits and inner resilience. Motivational interviewing helps when someone is ready to change but unsure how to begin.

Michelle blends client-centered and psychodynamic ideas to notice patterns that get in the way. Solution-focused tools are used to set clear, manageable goals and track small wins. She honors each person’s cultural, spiritual, and personal values while working together on practical steps toward change.

She lives and practices in Minnesota and speaks English. Michelle has experience supporting individuals, teams, and communities through crisis and change. Her style is warm and guiding - part coach, part listener - aimed at helping people reconnect to purpose, self-love, and daily resilience.

If you want to explore how therapy might help with loneliness, workplace stress, or a difficult life transition, Michelle invites you to begin the process and will work collaboratively to find what fits your life.

How Michelle’s Approaches Work Online

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding your experience. The therapist follows your lead, helping you name feelings and priorities so change feels manageable. Mindfulness therapy uses simple attention and breathing practices to ease anxiety and improve day-to-day coping. These skills are practical for stress, compassion fatigue, and grounding when feeling isolated.

Motivational interviewing helps people clarify what they want to change and build small steps toward those goals. It’s a collaborative style that reduces judgment and increases confidence to try new behaviors. Together these approaches aim to create clear goals and steady progress rather than quick fixes.

Finding the right combination of methods is part of the work. Michelle will talk with you about your needs, goals, and preferences and adjust techniques as you go. The process is collaborative - she helps you experiment and choose what feels most useful.

Session formats are not listed in the profile, so confirm the available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They can also let someone attend from quieter surroundings or avoid being on camera if that helps. Ask about current scheduling and session style when you begin.