About Michael
Michael Smith is a licensed mental health counselor with 38 years of experience based in New York. He helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, addiction, relationship strain, grief, and questions about identity and purpose. Michael uses straightforward talk and practical strategies so people can take small steps that feel doable.
Clients can expect calm, focused sessions that balance listening with hands-on tools. He draws from client-centered methods to make space for what matters to each person.
How Michael works
He also uses cognitive behavioral ideas to spot unhelpful patterns and try different ways of thinking and behaving. Michael often brings mindfulness practices into sessions to help reduce reactivity and improve sleep and concentration. He also uses existential approaches to help people face life changes and search for meaning.
Together these methods support work on issues like anger, compulsions, panic, and isolation. Across his career he has supported people dealing with neurodevelopmental concerns, personality challenges, and the practical impacts of aging. Sessions address everyday problems such as parenting stress, career decisions, intimacy-related concerns, and coping with loss.
He keeps language plain and focuses on steps people can use between meetings. Sessions are offered in English and can be scheduled in a variety of online formats. Michael encourages people to begin with a short matching questionnaire to find a good fit and then schedule sessions that match their needs.
Michael lists 6 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.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Career difficulties
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Impulsivity
- Intellectual disability
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Traumatic brain injury
Training and background
| Register | LMHC |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 38 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | New York |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Therapeutic approaches and what online care looks like
Michael blends client-centered work with cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness practices. Client-centered work means sessions focus on the person's priorities and experiences, with the therapist listening and reflecting to help clarify concerns. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps identify patterns of thought and behavior that keep problems going and then tests small changes to see what helps. Mindfulness practices teach simple attention and breathing exercises that can reduce reactivity, improve sleep, and support coping with anxiety.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they try methods that fit the person's life and adjust the plan over time based on what feels most helpful.
Online sessions include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to offer flexibility. Video is useful for a regular therapy rhythm and face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging are options for brief reflections between meetings or when writing feels easier. These formats let people fit therapy into busy schedules and continue work from different locations.
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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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