About Michael
Michael Gallese, LPCC, has ten years of experience in behavioral health and therapy. He draws on work as a behavior health technician, case manager, and substance use counselor to meet people where they are. He focuses on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, grief, and self-esteem concerns.
He uses straightforward, collaborative sessions that emphasize practical change. His style is direct but respectful. Sessions center on identifying patterns that keep problems going and then practicing different ways to respond.
Background and approach
Conversations include clear feedback and specific homework so progress continues between meetings. He aims to make therapy useful rather than purely conversational. Michael helps people untangle issues tied to attachment, abandonment, codependency, and family of origin dynamics.
He also addresses dissociation, impulsivity, isolation, mood shifts, and the effects of sexual assault or abuse. Work often blends talking through painful memories with concrete skills for managing emotions and urges. He commonly supports those who felt previous therapy missed the mark or who come in skeptical.
The approach is collaborative - goals are set together and adjusted as needed. Sessions can include brief skill practice, role plays, and planning for real-life challenges. Michael practices in California as an LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor.
Sessions are offered in English and are available by multiple online formats. New clients start by completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a first appointment.
Evidence-based approaches and online care
Many of Michael's sessions focus on practical, evidence-based techniques that teach new ways to respond to stress and anxiety. One common approach is skills-based work that breaks overwhelming feelings into manageable steps and gives tools to reduce worry and cravings. This helps when anxiety, impulsivity, or addictive urges interfere with daily life.He also uses trauma-informed strategies that help people process painful memories while building grounding skills to manage intense emotions. These strategies combine talking through experiences with exercises to calm the body and re-establish a sense of control. For mood or relationship struggles, he often works on attachment-related patterns to improve communication and emotional regulation.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. He collaborates with each person to pick methods that fit their goals, history, and comfort level. Plans are adjusted over time based on what helps most.
Online therapy here includes video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make care flexible. Video is useful for deeper conversation and visual cues, phone calls can fit a short break in a busy day, chat can provide quick check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a varied schedule.
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What this therapist works with
Also listed
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English
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