About Michael
Michael Mcbrearty is a licensed clinical social worker who offers a direct, compassionate therapy style. He keeps sessions open and non-judgmental so people can talk about stress, anxiety, grief, relationship concerns, and addiction without feeling criticized. His tone is warm and straightforward, aimed at helping people take practical steps forward.
He uses a mix of cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness practices. Those approaches help people notice unhelpful thoughts, find motivation for change, and build simple daily habits to reduce distress.
Background and approach
Sessions are conversational and focused on problems that matter in everyday life. With 20 years of experience, he draws on a long history of helping people navigate life changes, career stress, and challenges like depression, anger, and intimacy-related issues. He also addresses struggles tied to trauma, eating concerns, ADHD, and substance use in ways that fit each person's goals.
Michael earned a Master Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and holds LCSW credentials in New Jersey and New York. He emphasizes respect and dignity in every session and invites people to move at a pace that feels right for them. Getting started typically means picking a session format that fits a schedule and beginning with clear goals.
He encourages people who want practical tools and steady support to reach out and begin the matching process.
Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values and small actions that move someone toward a meaningful life, which can be useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. It helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with more helpful habits, which is practical for anxiety, depression, and mood regulation.
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, non-judgmental relationship. Sessions are driven by the client's goals and pace, which helps people feel heard and decide what change looks like for them.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with clients to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and personal preferences. That shared planning helps keep therapy focused and useful.
Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different routines. Video is helpful for in-depth conversations and exercises, phone calls work when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits short check-ins, and text messaging supports quick reflections between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, family, and daily life.
Questions people ask
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What is his therapy style like?
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 20 years
- Licensed
- New Jersey, New York
- Languages
- English
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