- Years in practice
- 24
- Credentials
- LCPC, LPC
- Licensed in
- Missouri, Kansas
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Michael
Michael James is a licensed counselor who offers a calm, practical approach to therapy. He brings 24 years of experience as a clinician and focuses on helping people cope with stress, anxiety, addictions, parenting concerns, depression, relationship struggles, and related issues. Michael holds an LCPC and an LPC and practices from Missouri.
He speaks English and works with adults seeking help for many life challenges. Michael centers sessions on building a strong working relationship first.
Background and approach
He believes trust and collaboration make other methods useful. After connecting, he helps clients identify clear goals and small, practical steps to reach them. Sessions often include problem-solving, skill-building, and honest conversation.
His work draws largely from cognitive-behavioral ideas, mixed with client-centered and existential perspectives. Michael also uses mindfulness and motivational interviewing tools when they fit a client’s needs. He adapts methods to each person rather than following a single script.
Parents often come to him for help with the emotional strain of raising children, communication breakdowns, and issues around fatherhood. He also supports people dealing with trauma, grief, substance issues, sleep or eating difficulties, ADHD, and identity concerns within the LGBT umbrella. Typical sessions may focus on changing unhelpful thinking, building coping skills, improving communication, and setting realistic steps forward.
Michael uses straightforward language and practical exercises so parents and adults can try new approaches between meetings. He aims to make therapy feel useful and doable in everyday life.
What Michael works with
Everything Michael lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Michael helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Personality disorders
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Michael lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that guide online sessions
Michael often blends client-centered work with cognitive-behavioral techniques to help people make practical changes. Client-centered work focuses on listening, empathy, and helping clients find their own answers, which can be useful for issues like low self-esteem or relationship strain. Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors, a helpful fit for anxiety, depression, and many parenting challenges.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. He approaches therapy as a collaboration and will discuss which methods seem most useful for a person's goals and preferences. That lets sessions shift over time as needs change and progress is made.
Online formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives. Video calls let people hold more in-depth sessions and read visual cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging support brief check-ins, homework review, and ongoing coaching between longer sessions. These options provide flexibility so people can keep therapy consistent around work, parenting, and daily routines.
Questions people ask about Michael
What kinds of concerns does this therapist help with?
He helps people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, sleep and eating problems, and more.
What is his therapeutic style like?
Sessions are collaborative and straightforward. He starts by building a working relationship, then uses practical strategies drawn from client-centered work and cognitive-behavioral approaches.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 24 years of experience as a licensed counselor working with adults on a wide range of concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
He holds LCPC and LPC credentials and provides services from Missouri.
Which languages are offered and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
In what formats are sessions available?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are accessed through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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