Michael Ramsey

I go by "Alec" and while I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist, I've spent my time in the field assisting those who have lost control. I began my career in an inpatient addiction rehab, then I worked in an addiction intensive outpatient, and now I provide a more general service in private practice. While I cut my teeth on addiction treatment, I found that ADHD, Trauma (PTSD), Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar, OCD, and a host of other factors always came with the addiction. So I have made it my goal to help a broad range of people overcome what feels unmanageable, unpredictable, and uncontrollable.

My approach

I primarily see every person through the lens of attachment theory - most people have wounds from developmental ages that they are still trying to overcome in the present. From there, I use a mix of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing techniques - catered to each client - to help people find solutions to the problems that plague them. When working with Couples I use the Emotionally Focused Therapy framework to help partners communicate deeper and more effectively.

My focus

My clients are tired of managing things alone and ready to try something new to solve problems and regain a sense of control over those unmanageable things. My clients are often those that find daily activities to be nearly impossible or those that just see themselves slipping on things they once had control over. My clients are ready for a change, or at least ready to consider their options.

My communication style

I have been told repeatedly that I come across as "warm and welcoming," you are likely to find me easy to talk to - and it is my goal to make our time comfortable and safe. I am not keen on homework or rigidity, and instead, try to remain flexible to unforeseen circumstances or changes. As a sufferer of ADHD myself, I am prone to keeping notes and checking them -- and I'm also thorough about plans and scheduling because without explicit communication I'll get lost.

My journey to mental healthcare

Initially, I sought education as a therapist to work as a couple and family therapist but when I began an internship with the addiction population, I fell in love with the work and the people. While working with those folks I found a host of commonalities that I needed better and more extensive training in. So I received training in EMDR and DBT, both of which helped address the causes of addiction. I then found in addressing those problems - trauma, mood disorders, neurodivergence, personality disorders - that people outside of addiction also suffered those afflictions and that by widening my scope I could help yet more people. Along the way, I received training in Video Game Addiction, Motivational Interviewing, several group therapies (Matrix, MRT), and several mindfulness-based interventions.

My goals for you

Success for my clients typically means a dramatic reduction in the level of emotional distress alongside a healthy list of techniques and mechanisms for managing life. I hope my clients will experience some healing and will find all future stressors more manageable; that they themselves will be more adaptable to unforeseen circumstances and be able to manage without me.

My first session with you

The first sessions are used for information gathering. I will ask tons of questions about a broad range of things - some of which don't seem or won't be related. It is my goal in session one to have a holistic view of you so that when new data is introduced in the future I can contextualize it - and maybe see a pattern that you yourself cannot. I'm not necessarily looking for a diagnosis, but I want enough information that we can problem-solve effectively - so that we don't spin our wheels on something already tried or unnecessary.