Michelle Varady, LCSW

Michelle Varady is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 10 years of clinical experience based in California. She centers her work on Internal Family Systems - often called IFS - and deep shadow work, guiding people to examine the underlying parts of themselves that shape patterns of feeling and behavior.

Rather than focusing only on short-term symptom relief, she emphasizes uncovering and healing the roots of challenges such as trauma, anxiety, addiction, and low self-esteem. At the same time she equips clients with practical strategies for managing day-to-day distress, drawing on evidence-informed methods including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Somatic Therapy, mindfulness techniques, solution-focused tools, and trauma-focused approaches.

Her practice is grounded in a strengths-based, collaborative stance that honors each person as the expert of their own story. She supports people through complex issues ranging from mood and panic disorders to relationship difficulties, grief, sleep concerns, ADHD, and co-occurring substance use challenges, tailoring interventions to the individual’s needs.

Michelle aims to help clients move beyond surface-level coping so they can create more sustainable, meaningful change. She offers a supportive environment for exploring difficult experiences, building coping skills, and fostering greater self-understanding and resilience.