About James
James "Rick" McCommon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Alabama who helps people manage stress and anxiety. He also supports clients facing addictions, grief, anger, and self-esteem struggles. Rick aims to make beginning therapy feel like a manageable step rather than a leap.
Rick uses clear conversation and active listening to create an open space for people to talk. He encourages realistic steps to reduce anxiety and to handle cravings, sadness, or anger.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on small changes that fit everyday life. He draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to spot unhelpful thinking patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy techniques are used to help clients notice painful feelings without getting stuck.
Client-centered practices guide the pace and topics so each person sets the priorities. With ten years of clinical experience since earning a masters degree in counseling and psychology, Rick brings a steady, pragmatic approach. He works with people on a broad range of concerns including relationships, trauma and abuse, intimacy issues, eating and sleeping problems, and career stress.
He also pays attention to issues that overlap with identity and society, such as LGBT concerns, multicultural stress, prejudice, and veteran or first responder challenges. Rick aims to help people build coping skills and clearer goals for daily life.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing painful thoughts and feelings without letting them drive behavior, and it helps people take committed steps toward values-based goals. This approach can be useful for anxiety, stress, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors through practical exercises and homework, which can reduce worry, improve sleep, and manage mood. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and following the client's lead so sessions move at a comfortable pace and address what matters most to the person.Choosing the right approach is often a collaboration. The therapist will talk with the client about needs, goals, and what feels useful, and then try techniques that match those priorities. Goals and methods can change over time as progress is reviewed together.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video works well for in-depth conversations and face-to-face rapport, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing thought tracking between sessions. These options help fit therapy into busy schedules and different daily routines.
Questions people ask
What concerns does this therapist address?
How does he approach therapy sessions?
What is his professional background?
Where is he licensed and based?
Which languages are supported?
Can international clients work with him?
What session formats are available?
How are fees and starting handled?
What this therapist works with
Most often
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Multicultural concerns
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- Alabama
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.