Dr. Michael Vigil , LPC

Dr. Michael Vigil is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Alaska with 11 years of experience across multiple behavioral health settings. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical-community psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage, a Master of Science in clinical psychology from the same university, and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Guam. He is also an American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow, a recognition in the field of psychology.

Over his career he has worked in Veterans Affairs, substance use treatment programs, college counseling centers, community mental health outpatient services, and psychiatric emergency stabilization, offering care to adolescents, adults across the lifespan, and couples. His clinical work addresses a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, intimacy-related matters, anger, self-esteem, and coping with life changes, along with focused areas such as abandonment, commitment and communication problems, divorce and separation, drug and alcohol addiction, infidelity, men’s issues, veteran and armed forces concerns, and post-traumatic stress.

Dr. Vigil integrates person-centered and behavioral theories within an assimilative orientation and emphasizes a strength-based model that builds on individuals’ existing resources. He has formal training in a number of evidence-informed therapies, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders (CBT SUD), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT). He considers cultural background central to understanding how thoughts, beliefs, and emotions shape behavior and uses research-based interventions to guide treatment planning.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Dr. Michael Vigil

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) invites people to notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them, clarify what matters most, and take committed action toward a meaningful life. It can be helpful for anxiety, depression, stress, and navigating major life changes.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on empathetic listening and collaboration, offering a respectful, nonjudgmental space for people to explore their experiences and arrive at their own solutions. This approach often supports work on relationships, self-esteem, grief, and transitions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, teaching practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns and build coping skills. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, mood disorders, addictions, and trauma-related symptoms.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself. Dr. Michael Vigil collaborates with each person to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and may integrate techniques from different approaches as treatment progresses.

Online therapy via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for scheduling, makes ongoing support easier to maintain between appointments, and increases access for people who live far from clinics or who need more adaptable formats. Licensed professionals can adapt these methods to support meaningful therapeutic progress in ways that fit a client’s life and comfort.