About Dr. Michela Passoni
Clientele seen
Young adults (18-24)
Individuals
Adults (25-64)
Couples
Seniors (65+)
Treatment approaches
Humanistic
Gottman Method
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Existential
EMDR
Psychodynamic
Identity
Gender
FemaleLanguages spoken
English
Getting to know Dr. Michela Passoni
My name is Dr. Michela Passoni, LMFT. I have more than a decade of experience providing care to adults and couples across California. Alongside my clinical practice, I have built a parallel career in graduate education, research, and clinical strategy, contributing to the training of future therapists, advancing mental health innovation, and shaping ethical approaches to care.
My background spans private practice, outpatient programs, integrated care teams, academic teaching, and leadership roles in digital mental health. This gives me a perspective that bridges therapy, education, and innovation, while remaining deeply grounded in the human experience of therapy itself.
In my practice, I help individuals and couples who feel stretched thin by burnout, anxiety, relationship stress, and life transitions find greater clarity, resilience, and connection. I often work with bright, ambitious professionals who may appear successful on the surface, yet privately carry stress, self-doubt, emotional exhaustion, or questions of identity and direction.
My approach is humanistic, insight-oriented, and collaborative. I aim to create a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can slow down, reflect, better understand themselves, and realign with what matters most. In individual therapy, we may explore emotional patterns, relationships, coping strategies, and the experiences that shape how you move through the world.
I also work with couples who want to improve communication, understand recurring conflict, rebuild connection, and relate to one another with more care. In couples work, I help partners slow reactive cycles, listen more clearly, and develop more thoughtful ways of responding and repairing.
Across both individual and couples therapy, my goal is to support greater well-being, self-awareness, emotional resilience, and relational satisfaction, while helping clients safeguard against burnout and foster deeper connection in the areas of life that matter most.
What should a new client know about working with you?
My style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in care. I aim to create a space where you can feel respected, supported, and able to speak honestly about what is happening in your life without feeling rushed or judged.
I often support clients navigating anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, life transitions, self-doubt, and patterns that feel difficult to change. My approach is humanistic and evidence-based, drawing from existential psychotherapy and integrating EMDR, CBT, DBT, Gottman Method combined with emotional attuned therapy, and values-based work to support reflection on what matters most. I pay close attention to your lived experience while also drawing from clinical tools that can support meaningful change.
In individual therapy, we may explore patterns in your relationships, emotions, thoughts, and coping strategies, and begin to understand how past experiences may be influencing your present-day life. I do not see therapy as a place where I simply give advice or tell you what to do. Instead, I see it as a collaborative process where we work together to build insight, strengthen self-understanding, and develop new ways of responding to yourself and others.
I also work with couples who want to better understand their patterns, improve communication, rebuild connection, or navigate conflict with more care. In couples work, I focus on helping partners slow down reactive cycles, listen more clearly, and create a more thoughtful way of relating to one another.
In our early sessions, we will focus on what brings you to therapy now, what you are hoping to change or understand, and whether working together feels like a good fit. You do not need to arrive with a perfectly organized story or know exactly where to begin. Part of the work is making sense of things together.
Therapy can take time, and progress is not always linear, but I will work with you with steadiness, curiosity, and care.
What is your typical process for working with clients?
My process is collaborative, thoughtful, and paced with care. In the beginning, I focus on getting to know you, understanding what brings you to therapy now, and learning more about the patterns, relationships, stressors, and experiences that may be shaping what you’re going through.
A first session is usually a little more structured than future sessions. We may review intake paperwork, talk through confidentiality and its limits, discuss practical details like fees and scheduling, and make sure you understand how sessions will work. I’ll also ask about your current concerns, your background, important relationships, previous therapy experiences, and any immediate safety concerns. These questions help me understand how to support you and make sure we are starting with the right level of care.
You do not need to arrive with a perfectly organized story or know exactly what you want to say. Part of therapy is making sense of things together. It is also normal for the first session to feel a little formal or awkward. Therapy is a new relationship, and trust usually develops over time.
In ongoing sessions, the work becomes more personalized. A typical session may include talking through recent experiences, noticing emotional or relational patterns, exploring thoughts and feelings, and identifying new ways of responding to yourself and others. I may ask questions, offer reflections, help you slow things down, or gently point out patterns that seem important.
I do not see therapy as a place where I simply give advice or tell you what to do. Instead, I see it as a collaborative process where we work together to build insight, strengthen self-understanding, and support meaningful change. My goal is to create a space where you feel respected, supported, and able to be honest.
Meaningful change usually takes time, and progress is not always linear. My role is to help you move through that process with steadiness, curiosity, and care.
Dr. Michela Passoni is not in-network with any insurances
It’s common for mental health providers to be out-of-network. Many insurance plans offer out-of-network coverage, so you may get partially reimbursed. Learn more
Education and background
Practice names
Education and training
- The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, PsyD in Couples and Family Therapy
NPI number
1992187249
How soon can I make an appointment with Dr. Michela Passoni?
Generally, Dr. Michela Passoni has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Dr. Passoni's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.
Is Dr. Michela Passoni accepting new patients?
Dr. Michela Passoni generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Dr. Passoni's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.
Does Dr. Michela Passoni accept my insurance?
Choose your insurance plan to verify if Dr. Passoni is in-network.
Can I make an appointment with Dr. Michela Passoni online?
Yes, you can make an appointment online with Dr. Passoni using Zocdoc. It’s simple, secure, and free.
What practice does Dr. Michela Passoni work with?
Dr. Michela Passoni works with Michela Passoni Psy.D. LMFT.
What are common reasons for patients to see Dr. Michela Passoni?
Dr. Michela Passoni frequently sees patients for New Patient Visit, Pain Management Consultation, Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Intake / Initial Visit, and Sleep Problems. You can see other visit reasons for Dr. Michela Passoni on their profile.
What languages does Dr. Michela Passoni speak?
Dr. Michela Passoni speaks English.