Michael Garrison, LMSW, LCSW
Seasoned clinical social worker focused on practical change
Explore online therapy optionsWorks with
- Anger
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
How Michael works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LMSW, LCSW
- Licensed in
- Michigan, Oregon
- Years in practice
- 10
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Michael
Michael Garrison is a licensed clinical social worker based in Michigan. He holds a Licensed Master Social Worker credential and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential and brings ten years of experience in community mental health and school settings. He aims to create a calm, direct space where people can talk about what’s most troubling them and find practical ways forward.
Michael’s background includes work with people facing trauma, addiction, mood and personality disorders.
Background and approach
He has supported parents and caregivers with behavior strategies and worked alongside clients managing grief, anxiety, anger, and stress. His practice reflects time spent in schools as well as community agencies, so he is used to steady, wraparound work as well as focused short-term interventions. In sessions he offers clear feedback, validation, and tools you can use between meetings.
He uses approaches such as cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior strategies, mindfulness practices, eye movement desensitization methods, and motivational interviewing to address symptoms and build skills. He emphasizes the relationship as the engine of change and works collaboratively on goals you set. Michael helps people break down big problems into manageable steps.
He focuses on improving coping, reducing impulsivity, and helping people repair important relationships. He also supports clients with sleep issues, body image, and navigating major life changes. Practical concerns like parenting stress, workplace strain, substance use, and ongoing trauma responses are common topics in his work.
He aims for straightforward conversations that lead to clear actions and steady progress.
What Michael works with
Everything Michael lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Michael's practice.
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Body image
- Co-morbidity
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Forgiveness
- Impulsivity
- Jealousy
- Men's issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Sexual dysfunction
Approaches Michael lists
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapy approaches guide online care
CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It gives concrete tools for anxiety, mood problems, and impulse control so people can practice new responses between sessions.DBT, dialectical behavior therapy, teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better interpersonal skills. It is practical for intense emotions, anger, and impulsivity and includes skills people can use in heated moments.
EMDR methods are used to work with trauma-related memories by pairing focused attention with guided processing. When trauma is a core issue, these techniques can help reduce the emotional charge tied to distressing memories.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, symptoms, and personal preferences and then recommend which methods to try. That plan can change over time based on what helps most.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video works well for deeper conversation and visual cues. Phone can be simpler when bandwidth is limited. Chat or text helps with brief check-ins, coaching-style guidance, or when someone prefers not to be on camera. These options make it easier to get consistent care around work, family, and day-to-day life.
Questions people ask about Michael
What kinds of problems does he help people with?
He works with a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, grief, anger, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, and stress-related problems.
What is his general therapy style?
He offers a direct, validating style with practical tools and homework. Sessions focus on goals you set and on building skills to use between meetings.
How long has he been practicing?
He has ten years of clinical experience across community mental health and school settings.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He holds a Licensed Master Social Worker credential and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential and practices in Michigan.
Does he offer sessions in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as formats for online work.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What do I need to do to get started?
To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.