Matthew Carleton
Compassionate, practical therapy for everyday challenges
LMSW Michigan
- Experience
- 7 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gottman Method
- Languages
- English
About Matthew
Matthew Carleton is a licensed social worker based in Michigan who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, anger, low self-esteem, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, career concerns, depression, and transitions in life.
Background and approach
He brings seven years of individual therapy experience and a longer background leading groups related to domestic violence and relationship dynamics. Matthew emphasizes practical strategies to address presenting problems while attending to deeper patterns such as attachment wounds, abandonment, and family of origin issues.
He typically uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to examine and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and incorporates relationship-focused work informed by the Gottman Method when appropriate. That combination supports clients working through communication problems, jealousy, blended family tensions, divorce or separation, and patterns that fuel impulsivity or substance use.
Matthew holds an LMSW and aims to help clients build self-love, clarify life purpose, and pursue concrete steps like smoking or vaping cessation. His approach blends skill-building with collaborative exploration to help clients move toward clearer choices and better day-to-day coping.
Integrating CBT and Relationship Work Online
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to anxiety, depression, and stress. It uses practical exercises and skill-building to help clients test assumptions and develop healthier coping responses. The Gottman Method emphasizes communication patterns and relationship dynamics, offering structured exercises that improve understanding, reduce conflict, and strengthen connection in couples or partners.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to assess goals, preferences, and the nature of the concerns to determine whether CBT, Gottman-informed techniques, or a blend of both is the best fit. This collaborative planning helps tailor sessions to concrete goals like improving communication, managing cravings, or reducing anxiety symptoms.
Online therapy in this practice includes video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care during life transitions, balance work and family demands, or access support from home while working through relationship and emotional challenges.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Licensed
Michigan
Languages
English