Michelle Howlett, LICSW

Michelle Howlett is an Alabama-licensed clinical social worker with nine years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. She works with individuals who are managing grief, addictive behaviors, trauma, and relationship concerns. Michelle emphasizes practical coping and steady emotional support in the moment.

Her approach is warm and person-centered. She listens first, then helps people set small, realistic goals. Sessions focus on skills that can be used between meetings, such as grounding, problem solving, and building routines to improve sleep and daily functioning.

Michelle also integrates cognitive behavioral strategies to help clients notice and change unhelpful thinking patterns. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are used when stronger emotion regulation or distress tolerance tools are needed. She brings mindfulness practices into sessions to reduce reactivity and increase present-moment awareness.

She has worked with LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, caregivers, and older adults facing life transitions and end-of-life concerns. Michelle pays attention to how isolation, guilt, and caregiver stress affect daily life and decision making. Her work combines short-term problem solving with longer-term personal growth.

People who choose Michelle often want a straightforward, compassionate partner. She helps clients build self-compassion and practical plans for change. The focus is on finding what fits each person and making steady progress over time.

Therapeutic approaches and working online

Michelle often uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns to reduce anxiety and improve mood. This approach is useful for stress, sleep problems, and everyday worries.

She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy skills when emotional regulation and distress tolerance are needed; these are concrete tools to manage intense feelings and cope during crisis moments. In addition, client-centered methods guide the relationship, meaning sessions are shaped by the person's priorities and pace.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will help clients decide which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice is collaborative and can change as progress is made.

The profile does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when helpful, and offer ways to practice skills in real-world settings. Licensed professionals tailor the plan to daily routines so therapeutic work can be practical and relevant.