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MS Portrait of Michael Smith
Online therapist

Michael Smith

Compassionate therapy with practical tools

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Credentials
LMHC
Experience
38 years
Licensed in
New York
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Michael

Michael Smith is a licensed mental health counselor with 38 years of experience. He focuses on helping people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, mood changes, addictions, grief, and parenting concerns. He works in English and sees clients based in New York.

He uses straightforward conversations to identify what feels hardest right now. Sessions often include practical steps to manage symptoms, like changing thoughts and routines, and learning simple mindfulness skills to reduce overwhelm.

Background and approach

He also helps people think through big life questions and values so choices feel clearer. Michael’s work blends talk therapy with concrete techniques. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, for example, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect and teaches small experiments that can change daily habits.

Client-Centered Therapy creates a space where each person’s experience guides the work rather than a preset plan. With many years of practice, he draws on different tools depending on the situation. That might mean focusing on motivation and small goals one week, and on present-moment awareness another week.

The pace is set by the person coming for help. People commonly bring concerns such as depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, trauma, intimacy issues, eating or sleeping problems, career stress, and life transitions. Additional focus areas include mood and personality-related challenges as well as aging and developmental differences.

Michael aims to make therapy understandable and usable for daily life.

Using practical approaches in online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening without judgment and following the person’s lead. It helps people feel heard and clarifies what matters most to them, which is useful when tackling parenting stresses or identity questions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact. It breaks problems into small steps and uses exercises people can try between sessions to reduce anxiety, manage mood, or improve sleep.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and try methods that fit the person’s needs. That collaborative process helps tailor techniques to everyday life.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text messaging to fit different schedules and comfort levels. This flexibility can make it easier to keep consistent work during busy weeks, when travel is difficult, or when quick check-ins are needed. Licensed professionals can use these formats to combine conversation with practical exercises and short tasks between meetings.

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 types of concerns does Michael address?
He works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, addictions, trauma, grief, intimacy and parenting concerns, and related mood or personality issues.
What is his general therapy style?
The approach is collaborative and practical, combining client-centered conversations with techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and solution-focused methods to build day-to-day skills.
How long has he been practicing?
He brings 38 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of emotional and behavioral concerns.
Where is he licensed and located?
He holds an LMHC license in New York with license number NY LMHC 002180 and practices in New York.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
38 years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English

Next step

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