Michelle Cataldo, LCSW

Life is more joyful and connected when we feel like other people understand us—and even more important--when we understand ourselves. I’m Michelle Cataldo, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Oakland California. Therapy can be a powerful and healing way to discover and build on your strengths, and to identify patterns that might be getting in the way of living the life you want. The key is finding a therapist who is a good fit for you. When you’re comfortable working together, it’s easier to believe that change is possible, and it doesn’t feel quite as scary to take a closer look at the places in your life where you’d like to see something different. I’ve worked with a wide variety of clients over the past twenty years, including folks of different genders, sexual orientations, and cultures. Some of the concerns that come up most frequently are around life transitions, grief and loss, relationship issues, chronic illness, work stress, and perfectionism. I use an integrative approach, which just means that I draw from different methods—these include cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, mindfulness and self-compassion, harm reduction, internal family systems, and trauma-informed care. If you’d like to explore whether we might be a good fit, I offer a free consultation visit. Currently, I only have openings for telehealth clients in California, using a HIPAA-compliant Zoom platform. I look forward to talking with you.