PuttingFamilyFirst

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MG Portrait of Matt Givens
Online therapist

Matt Givens

Calm guidance for family and relationship struggles

Credentials
LIMFT, LMFT
Experience
16 years
Licensed in
Indiana, Ohio
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Matt

Matt Givens appears as a calm, steady clinician for parents and people who are tied up in relationship struggles. He speaks plain about the hard parts of family life. He meets people where they are, listens, and helps them find practical steps to feel better at home.

As a Licensed Independent Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, he draws on years of experience to guide conversations without judgment.

Background and approach

He frames counseling as a chance to reconnect with strengths and rebuild trust. Sessions often focus on clearer communication, setting boundaries, and reducing repeated conflict patterns. He uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

He also offers Gottman Method techniques when relationship skills are a priority. For trauma that keeps showing up in daily life, he uses eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR, aimed at easing the hold of painful memories. He combines that with solution-focused ideas to create short-term goals and steps that feel doable.

Parents often appreciate his straightforward guidance on managing stress and parenting challenges. He brings 16 years of clinical experience and practices in Indiana. His training includes multiple approaches so he can adapt to the needs in the room.

His style is collaborative and practical - he helps people try something, see if it helps, and adjust as needed. Outside session techniques include brief coaching for life transitions and concrete skills for coping with anxiety, grief, or addictive behaviors. Sessions are presented in a way that aims to leave people with clearer next steps and more confidence at home.

Approaches that translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and building a trusting relationship so clients feel heard and understood; this helps people clarify what matters and make decisions that fit their lives. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and practicing new behaviors to reduce anxiety, stress, and mood difficulties. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR, is a trauma-focused method that helps reduce the intensity of painful memories through structured processing techniques used over several sessions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals and symptoms, try methods that fit those needs, and adjust the plan together. Clients are invited to provide feedback so the approach matches their pace and preferences.

Online therapy offers flexibility with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions around work and family schedules and to continue care during life transitions. Using a mix of live conversations and messaging allows for ongoing check-ins, skill practice between sessions, and stepped pacing for trauma work or relationship skills.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Existential Therapy

Takes the larger questions seriously: meaning, choice, mortality, responsibility. Suited to periods when the difficulty is less a symptom than a sense that something has to change.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does he address?
He works with relationship and family concerns plus trauma, grief, intimacy issues, stress, anxiety, addictions, parenting, self esteem, career questions, depression, and life changes.
How would you describe his therapy style?
He uses direct, collaborative work that focuses on clear steps and skill building. Sessions blend listening with practical tools to change thoughts, behaviors, and interactions.
What is his clinical background?
He has 16 years of experience and training in several methods including EMDR, Gottman Method, and cognitive behavioral approaches.
Where does he practice and what are his credentials?
He practices in Indiana and holds LIMFT and LMFT credentials: OH LIMFT F.1100016 and IN LMFT 35001663A.
What languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Which session formats are available?
Sessions can be done via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Next step

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