Andrew Michaels

I have thirty years of experience in the mental health field. I have extensive knowledge and experience working with people suffering from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, trauma, PTSD, domestic violence, complicated grief, and relationship issues. I also work with the LGBTQ+ population around the issues of sexual identity, relationship issues, and coming out to families and peers. For 17 years I have worked in a day treatment program where I provided individual, group, and family counseling targeting clients suffering from a range of issues from ADHD, physical/sexual abuse, and substance abuse. I am currently devoted to clients suffering from Schizophrenia, Schizo-Affective Disorders, and Major Depression where I provide them with psychoeducation regarding, symptomatology, and connect them to community services to optimize their functioning in the community. Listening to others in a caring and empathetic manner has been crucial in my ability to develop trusting relationships with others. I maintain a nonjudgmental stance with awareness of one's cultural beliefs and values and provide an atmosphere where one has the ability to cope with difficult times in their life. Being able to reach for help is a crucial step in your decision to make a change in your life. Regardless of what come across in our lives, we have the ability to choose one’s way, challenge ourselves through our struggles and become stronger individuals. I am looking forward to working with you.

My approach

I am a highly trained clinician who enjoys working with a multicultural population and I treat all my clients with sensitivity and respect. I incorporate a vast range of clinical interventions into my practice: CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Person-Centered, Anger Management, Relaxation Training, and Psychoanalytic Treatment.

My focus

I prefer to work with clients who are seeking to obtain improved awareness of their behavior patterns and the impact that they have on their own functioning and also interaction with other significant people around them. Also, accept challenges with people who are struggling with life stressors and be able to highlight the strengths that they can utilize to work through problems.

My communication style

I am a very active listener, and provide humor when appropriate but engage in deep empathy when deemed appropriate. I will engage slowly to make my clients feel comfortable and to slowly enhance the therapeutic alliance.

My journey to mental healthcare

As far as I can remember I love listening to people and offering ways to help them out with their problems. I have been fascinated with human behavior since high school since taking an Advanced high school class in Psychology. I am experienced as a case manager, servicing severely disabled psychiatric populations, but also worked in a school setting with children, adolescents, and families conducting individual, group, and family therapy. I have received training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Mindfulness. Also received training in working with trauma clients with TF-CBT (Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavior Therapy). Also, have Anger Management training and had conducted anger management workshops.

My goals for you

Over the course of the session, clients should experience fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression with improved mood. They will have established personal goals to work on that include being able to both establish and maintain relationships and enhance their effectiveness and their ability to cope.

My first session with you

The initial session will be obtaining a psychosocial history that will include related areas of their psychological and mental health, social history, and many other factors such as health, employment, finances education, religion, stress, and support networks. This information will be useful in formulating a treatment plan in working with the client.