Michael Garrison , LMSW, LCSW

Michael Garrison is a Michigan-based social worker and licensed clinical practitioner with about ten years of experience supporting children, adults and couples in both school and community mental health settings. He has spent several years working directly in schools with children and families while also bringing nearly a decade of experience in community mental health, including work with people living with severe and persistent mental illness. He draws on specialized parent management training known as PMTO - the Oregon model - to help parents build respectful, safe, and positive role modeling at home.

Michael has clinical experience addressing trauma, addiction, personality and mood disorders, and a broad range of concerns such as grief, intimacy challenges, anger, self-esteem, anxiety, and coping with life changes. His clinical training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing - and he is a certified EMDR therapist, which supports targeted trauma work. Michael emphasizes support and validation in sessions and regards the therapeutic relationship as central to growth and change.

He encourages insight through reflection, conversation, and practical skill-building, meeting clients where they are and focusing time on the goals and objectives that foster a more fulfilling life and stronger mental health. Michael approaches therapy collaboratively, helping clients move toward greater wellness and resilience.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Online Therapy

Michael integrates several established therapies into online work to address trauma, mood and relationship concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and developing practical strategies to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills, which can be helpful for intense emotions and relationship challenges. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused approach that supports processing distressing memories and reducing their ongoing emotional impact.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Michael works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, then tailors methods so therapy fits the individual rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. This collaborative exploration helps determine which techniques will be most useful over time.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, family, and school commitments and to maintain continuity of care when in-person meetings are difficult. Licensed professionals can deliver many of the same evidence-based interventions remotely, allowing clients to pursue meaningful change from locations that work best for them.