Welcome! I am glad you are here!
My name is James Michael Cole (please, call me Michael) and I am a licensed mental health professional who is entering his ninth year as a licensed and practicing professional.
I hold two Bachelor's degrees in Business and Social Work, a Master's degree in Social Work, and two clinical licenses both in good standing with full diagnostic and treatment privileges to practice as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. I am also certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (C-DBT), child welfare, and as a Clinical Trauma Professional (C-CTP).
Over the years I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings with folks from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and have professional experience in everything from diagnostics/prescribing treatments, triage, child welfare, SPMI (serious and persistent mental illnesses), and co-occurring disorders (substance use and mental health occurring at the same time) to couples-counseling, issues of grief/loss, both group and individual psychotherapy sessions, building skills, guest-lecturing at universities, and teaching collegiate level courses to future social workers/clinicians. I also own a small private practice seeing individual clients who seek me out and that contracts with other agencies/platforms to provide a variety of services.
My approach to services is eclectic in nature, which is to say that I shift my approach to meet your needs, whatever those may be. I do not believe in "cookie-cutter approaches" to this kind of work as each person is unique as are their needs and goals. I strive to be culturally informed and desire to provide competent support to all persons in need, both those in marginalized communities and those who are not. You deserve a clinician that you can trust and who is focused on your specific needs. You deserve someone who will hold space for you, who will not cast judgement, and who will work with you to help you determine what the best path forward looks like. These things are what I strive to provide every client I see.
I am very excited to meet you and to get started on addressing the concerns/issues that brought you in to see me. Please, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Compassion fatigue, Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Aging and Geriatric Issues, Antisocial Personality, Avoidant Personality, BDSM, Kink, Alternative Sex Culture, Blended Family Issues, Caregiver Issues and Stress, Codependency, Commitment Issues, Communication Problems, Control Issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Dependent Personality, Divorce and Separation, Domestic Violence, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and Shame, Infidelity, Isolation / Loneliness, Jealousy, Life Purpose, Men's Issues, Midlife Crisis, Money and Financial Issues, Mood Disorders, Multicultural Concerns, Narcissism, Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks, Personality Disorders, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Post-traumatic Stress, Prejudice and Discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Self-Harm, Self-Love, Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Sexuality, Social Anxiety and Phobia, Somatization, Workplace Issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Gottman Method, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
MN LICSW 32045
ND LCSW 5244
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for James Cole. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Awesome therapists who keeps it real but also respect my concerns. James is awesome at providing suggestions to help on their journey for mental health recovery.
Written on Aug 01, 2023 after therapy with James for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, sleeping disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, and compassion fatigue
Michael has been very helpful in working through things in my life - he is a good listener, patient, and provides meaningful support and feedback. He is kind and has a sense of humor, but also also holds you accountable, which is appreciated. Easy to talk to and very responsive and flexible- would highly recommend.
Thank you,
Laura
Written on Jul 10, 2023 after therapy with James for 5 months
He gives you a chance to talk and get things out. He is a really good listener and helps me identify different ways to think about my challenges. He's like the cool uncle that makes you laugh too.
Written on Jun 27, 2023 after therapy with James for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, coaching, and compassion fatigue
James has helped me in more ways than I’m thankful for. I didn’t know what to expect when I started but I’m happy I did. I’ve heard that it sometimes it doesn’t work out when trying to find a therapist. I’m lucky that I found him on my first try.
Written on Jun 27, 2023 after therapy with James for 3 months on issues concerning depression, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, sleeping disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Ive been extremely grateful to have James as a therapist! He has helped me in tremendous ways by just letting me word vomit and to helping me figure out the root cause of the word vomit. He has also helped me identify how to work certain situations and to know if it it deserves my energy or time. His tools of how to explain how "I" feel has been a big help to communicating thoroughly. As simple as it seems its easy to make others fee attacked when not using the "I" term.
He has Also helped and showed me a technique to reduce high anxiety and how to visualize to relaxation. Easy to talk too, friendly, and overall a great person to work with. He never forces to speak about certain topics and gives the time and trust that is needed to open up about pass traumas. He is the first therapist who treats me as a equal and as a adult.
I appreciate when he tells me his own stories at it helps me relate to him and feel more trusting with him. He never makes therapy about himself, and has different approaches on how things can be handled. I am genuinely happy to have someone who is knowledgeable in the advice he is giving and the patience he has!
Written on Mar 14, 2023 after therapy with James for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, eating disorders, anger management, and adhd
Michael is very courteous. He listens very carefully and has an honest, unbiased feedback. He is respectful.
Written on Mar 03, 2023 after therapy with James for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, anger management, and adhd
