About Michael
Michael Anderson helps people dealing with addictions, grief, low self-esteem, depression and major life changes. He speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps people can take. Michael uses a warm, down-to-earth approach to help clients get unstuck and move forward.
He draws on four years working as a psycho-social recovery counsellor. Before that he supported people with long-term psychiatric disabilities. That background gives him experience with addiction, chronic illness, complicated grief and mood problems.
How Michael works
Sessions are conversational and goal-focused. Michael listens without judgement, helps clients clarify what matters, and supports small, doable changes. He uses motivational interviewing to explore readiness for change and solution-focused techniques to build on what already works.
Clients can expect clear, short-term planning alongside space to talk about painful feelings. Michael pays attention to issues like guilt, shame, isolation and relationship breakdowns while keeping practical coping strategies in view. He also works with people facing chronic pain, dissociation and obsessive tendencies.
Michael holds PACFA and practises in Australia. He offers sessions in English by video call, phone, live chat or text messaging. People start by completing a short matching questionnaire and choosing a time to meet.
Michael lists 3 ways of working on the entry:
What Michael works with
The areas below are the ones Michael selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
Training and background
| Register | PACFA |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 4 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Australia |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Michael’s approaches work online
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and building understanding. The therapist offers empathy and reflection so people can explore feelings, values and what matters most; this suits grief, low self-esteem and life-direction questions.Motivational Interviewing is a conversational way to look at readiness for change. It helps when someone feels stuck about addiction, substance use or making life adjustments by weighing pros and cons and strengthening personal motivation.
Solution-Focused Therapy aims to find practical steps that move people forward. Sessions identify small, immediate changes and build on existing strengths to address problems like depression, isolation or relationship strains.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Michael will talk with each person about goals, preferences and what feels helpful, then choose techniques together in a collaborative way.
Online formats make this flexible. Video calls let people use visual cues for deeper conversation, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat can suit quick check-ins and text messaging supports brief, ongoing contact between sessions. These options help people fit therapy around work, health needs and daily life.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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