Michael Belay, LICSW — Therapist in Washington

Hi there, I'm Michael!

I applaud you for taking this first step in your pursuit to address your mental health concerns. As a social worker, I am here to meet you where you are in a person-centered approach to therapy. I look forward to assisting you on your journey.

My focus

I work with adults who may be struggling with a wide range of behavioral health concerns, from depression and/or anxiety to various personality disorders. As a retired member of the armed forces, I am versed in the stigmas associated with seeking behavioral health services.

My approach

I identify as a Person-Centered therapist. I use Motivational Interviewing to build rapport with patients. I am also able to include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) practices in order to assist you in meeting your goals.

My communication style

I emphasize direct, clear, and concise communication that is supportive and, at all times, non-judgmental. As a Person-Centered therapist, I strive to be an active listener and serve as an empathetic facilitator on your journey to meet your behavioral health goals.

My journey to mental healthcare

My journey began as a Behavioral Health Specialist in the United States Army. Throughout my military career, I sought to provide support to the men and women who serve our country. his led to my pursuit of a graduate education and, upon retirement, a desire to expand the scope of those I seek to assist.

My goals for you

My focus in therapy is to meet you where you are. Therapy is a true partnership where we ride a wave together to set and achieve goals and expand insights into how we interact with and within the world around us.

Our first session

Our first session will focus on getting to know one another. In doing so, we'll begin our therapeutic relationship. We will start gaining a better understanding of what brought you to this first step and discuss where you'd like to go in therapy.

I identify as...

Male
Caucasian or White
Non-denominational

Expertise

Treatment approaches

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Motivational Interviewing

Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)

+ 3 more

Focus populations

Military/Veterans

+ 1 more

Therapy types

Individual Therapy

Ages served

Adults

Practice

Accepted insurance providers

Kaiser Permanente (Washington) - Commercial
Aetna
Allegiance
Allied
Ambetter

+ 37 more

Languages spoken

English

Education

Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of Southern California.

Sessions

60 minutes

Virtual sessions

Michael Belay