About Michael
Michael Perkins is a licensed clinical social worker with two decades of hands-on clinical experience. He works with people facing anxiety, stress, relationship and parenting concerns and helps them find clear, practical ways forward. He keeps sessions focused on what you want to change and what is already working in your life.
That starting point helps build realistic goals you can use between meetings. Michael often suggests short activities or reading to try at home so progress continues between sessions.
Background and approach
Michael uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice patterns of thought and behavior that keep problems going. He also draws on mindfulness practices to help with stress and emotional regulation. His client-centered stance means he listens first and adapts tools to each person’s needs.
Across 20 years of clinical work and more than 25 years teaching social work and human services, he has worked with people dealing with trauma, mood concerns, career stress, and the challenges of caregiving. He pays attention to both immediate problems and longer term life purpose and meaning. Sessions are practical and collaborative.
Michael treats people as the expert on their story while offering skills, strategies, and perspective. His Missouri LCSW credential is listed as LCSW and he meets with people in English.
Therapeutic approaches and online support
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person's experience first, then shaping the work around their goals and strengths. It helps when you want a therapist who respects your voice and builds on what is already going well.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and habits and try different responses. It is often useful for anxiety, stress, and mood concerns because it offers clear exercises people can practice between sessions.
Mindfulness Therapy brings simple attention practices into daily life to reduce reactivity and improve emotional balance. These skills pair well with CBT work when managing stress or trauma symptoms.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to decide which methods fit your needs, goals, and personal preferences. That may mean trying a skill, reflecting on how it lands, and adjusting the plan over time.
Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a fuller interaction helps, phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging work well for quick check-ins or short coaching-style exchanges. These options give flexibility for appointments and let people use the format that best suits their schedule and comfort.
Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does Michael help with?
What is his general therapeutic style?
How much clinical experience does he have?
Where is he licensed and based?
Which languages are supported?
Can people outside the U.S. work with him?
What formats are available for sessions?
How do fees and scheduling work?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
Also listed
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self esteem
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 20 years
- Licensed
- Missouri
- Languages
- English
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