Michael Smith
Experienced New York therapist focusing on practical change
LMHC New York
- Experience
- 38 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Anger, Bipolar
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Michael
Michael Smith is a New York licensed mental health counselor with 38 years of clinical experience helping people navigate a wide range of emotional and life challenges.
Background and approach
He focuses on mood and anxiety concerns as well as issues such as stress, anger, bipolar disorder, depression, ADHD, addictions, trauma and grief. His practice also addresses relationship and intimacy-related struggles, self-esteem and career questions, sleep and eating issues, parenting concerns, and compassion fatigue.
His work combines structured, evidence-informed methods with a client-centered attitude that emphasizes listening and collaboration. Michael integrates cognitive behavioral techniques to help clients identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, while drawing on existential and mindfulness perspectives to explore meaning, values, and present-moment awareness.
Motivational interviewing and solution-focused elements are used when clients seek practical steps toward change. He holds the LMHC credential (NY LMHC 002180) and offers services to adults in New York who prefer a thoughtful, pragmatic, and human-centered approach to mental health.
To begin, he invites prospective clients to consider their current needs and goals and to reach out when they are ready to explore a guided path toward clearer coping and greater well-being.
Approaches that translate to online care
Michael uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and to build practical coping skills; this approach is often helpful for anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and difficulties with stress or impulsivity. He also draws from client-centered therapy, which emphasizes empathic listening and meeting a person where they are so that goals and pacing arise from the client's values and preferences. Existential therapy is another element he brings into sessions, inviting reflection on meaning, life purpose, and choices when clients face transitions or questions about identity.Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and he collaborates with each person to determine which combination of methods fits their goals and temperament. That collaborative work includes experimenting with techniques, reviewing what helps, and adjusting direction over time based on the client's feedback and progress.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for scheduling and day-to-day accessibility. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care around work, family, or mobility constraints while still engaging in a consistent therapeutic process with a licensed professional.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
38+ years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English