Michelle McHugh, LICSW, LCSW

Michelle McHugh is a licensed clinical social worker with 23 years of experience, holding the credentials LICSW and LCSW - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She earned her Master of Social Work from New York University and has built a varied clinical background across inpatient addiction treatment, inpatient psychiatric settings, and outpatient mental health clinics.

Her practice focuses on substance use disorders, trauma and PTSD, LGBTQIA concerns, codependency, and reducing shame, and she draws on a broad range of skills to support issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, grief, sleep difficulties, and life transitions. Michelle combines evidence-based methods with practical recovery tools, integrating cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, 12-step recovery principles, dialectical behavioral strategies, and motivational interviewing when appropriate. She is also trained and certified in trauma treatments including EMDR and Cognitive Processing Therapy.

In addition to civilian clinical work, Michelle has over 11 years of active service in the Army National Guard as a Behavioral Health Officer and has spent at least eight years working with active Guard soldiers and military veterans from multiple branches. Her counseling style is collaborative and client-centered, avoiding stigmatizing language and labels while tailoring therapeutic approaches to each person’s unique needs. She welcomes contact from those ready to take a first step toward change.

Evidence-based approaches for online trauma and recovery work

Michelle uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors - this approach is practical and often used for anxiety, depression, and coping with life stressors. EMDR is another key tool in her practice; it involves structured processing of traumatic memories and can be helpful for people struggling with PTSD and intense trauma reactions. Mindfulness Therapy is also integrated to teach attention and grounding skills that support emotional regulation and reduce reactivity.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Michelle works with each person to consider their history, goals, and preferences, and adapts techniques over time so care fits the individual rather than forcing a single method.

Online therapy with Michelle can take place by video call, phone session, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access ongoing support from licensed professionals without the need to travel, and they allow therapy to fit into busy lives while preserving continuity of care.