About Michelle
Michelle Ross is a licensed professional counselor practicing in Idaho. She draws on four years of clinical experience to help people facing depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar concerns, trauma and LGBTQ-related issues. Michelle emphasizes a respectful, no-judgment approach and believes people bring strengths to the therapy process.
Michelle studied German Language and Literature at the University of Oregon before serving four years in the U.S. Navy as a Machinist Mate, reaching the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class.
Background and approach
She later earned a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Idaho and completed a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Counseling. Her work uses practical methods drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
She also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing when appropriate, and blends approaches to fit each person’s needs. Sessions focus on clear goals, coping skills, and steps that can be practiced between meetings. People can expect a collaborative tone where the client’s priorities guide the work.
Michelle helps people name patterns, try new coping skills, and rebuild routines that support mood and functioning. She also offers support around identity questions and issues related to adoption, abandonment, dissociation, and relationship communication. Therapy can address complex concerns including mood disorders, personality-related struggles, post-traumatic stress, self-harm, and loneliness.
Michelle frames progress as steady and practical, and she supports each person’s efforts to find meaning and purpose.
Therapeutic tools for online care
Michelle commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in online sessions. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes to improve mood and reduce anxiety. DBT emphasizes practical skills for managing intense emotions and improving communication and distress tolerance.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to identify goals and try methods that match those aims. Sessions often start with a plan and adapt based on what helps most, so clients play an active role in choosing techniques and pacing.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for deeper conversations and teaching skills with visual cues. Phone sessions can be a simpler check-in when bandwidth or camera use is difficult. Live chat or text messaging can support brief check-ins, skill practice, or moments when typed communication feels easier. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and keep continuity when in-person meetings aren’t possible.
Questions people ask
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What formats are available for online therapy?
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What this counselor works with
Most often
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Bipolar disorder
- Co-morbidity
- Communication problems
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Gender dysphoria
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 4 years
- Licensed
- Idaho
- Languages
- English