About Me
Hello and welcome. I am an Ordained Minister (Rev), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC) in Pennsylvania. My background is in pastoral ministry (since January 2001). My wife and I have been married since June of 2000 and we have five children ranging in ages from 8 to 14. Over the past 20 years I have spent a lot of time in counseling with individuals, couples, and families helping them to overcome their struggles (Parenting, premarital and marital issues, ADHD, depression, anxiety, gambling and substance abuse and addiction, legal issues, religious issues, trauma and PTSD, grief and loss, and many others). I desired to be better equipped to help, so I went back to get my MA in Marriage and Family Therapy which I completed in December of 2017. I was glad to be able to bring my real world experience to the classroom and I found that I was already putting into practice a lot of what I was studying.
Over the years I have worked with clients from all walks of life. I've had clients from all faiths (and no faith) backgrounds, straight and LBGTQIA, children, teens, adults, parents, grandparents, and people in Hospice and their families.
I believe that you are the expert of your life. I will help you find ways to utilize your strength to overcome your struggles and move you from your current situation to where you want to be.
I will be your supporter, your cheerleader, your encourager, and your teammate. I believe that real change can start in the therapy session, but you make the change happen outside of session and in the real world. You can do it, you can achieve your goals. I'm looking forward to helping you do so.
Specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
- Coping with life changes
Addictions , Trauma and abuse , Grief , Intimacy-related issues , Self esteem , Career difficulties , Depression , ADHD , Blended Family Issues , Family Problems , Fatherhood Issues , Forgiveness , Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches:
Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
Services Offered
Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video
Licensing
LPC #PC012631 (Expires: 2023-02-28)
Reviews
He is very respectful, supportive, and knowledgeable. He knows how to take an approach that works for the individual he is working with. He is more than willing to be flexible in his approach. Michael is very professional and focuses on what is helpful for the client. I have full faith in his abilities as a counselor!
Rev. Abell is an amazing guy, he gives great advice and listens to you when you talk, I appreciate him very much and always look forward to our next session!
Reverend Abell is wonderful. He is kind, patient, encouraging, and understanding but best of all he gives you tools to help yourself rather than feeding you the answers. I can't sing his praises loudly enough
Michael is a fantastic resource and I always feel lighter after talking with him. I highly recommend his services to others!
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to try counseling and I was a bit skeptical about Betterhelp but after speaking with Rev. Abell I was able to feel comfortable about the situation and has given me a different view on counseling.
In the few sessions with Rev. Abell, he has maintained high professional standards and has made me feel validated. Initially, I was a bit nervous due to his title, but I was surprised by his open mindedness and his eagerness to help.
I have seen several different counselors over the past few years but Rev. Abell from BetterHelp is by far the best! He helps me to organize my jumbled thoughts during our counseling sessions and he doesn’t make me do all the talking. Previous counselors relied on me to do all the talking which I really dislike because I’m more of a quiet person. Rev. Abell asks me plenty of questions and helps to talk through the different options i could consider to move forward in different life scenarios. He also responds quickly to any communication I send and is easy to schedule a session with. I highly recommend Rev. Abell with BetterHelp!
I’ve only had 2 video sessions with him but he makes me feel listened and he’s a very kind person he truly listens to everything you have to say I recommend him 100%
Michael has been great throughout this process. Would definitely recommend him to anyone needing help!
Rev. Abel is so kind and genuine. Even when he doesn’t get situations at first he try’s to break them down for a better understanding instead of just agreeing like he already knows.
He listens to my problems and offers support. He responds in a timely manner which is helpful.
Just recently started with Rev. Abell. So far I have nothing but good things to say. He’s always sending little messages to check throughout the week, which can be very helpful during a bad day/time. Looking forward to working with Rev. Abell
I really appreciate how Rev. Abell makes me feel heard and that my experiences are valid. I don’t feel like I’m a bother and he’s been great about accommodating my needs. He’s responsive to my questions and provides thoughtful feedback to help me on my journey. I am very pleased with how my counseling is going both with Better Health and with Rev. Abell.
Rev Abell is very responsive to me as a client. He helps me work through what I need for my depression, anxiety, and addiction issues. I am pleased with our sessions.
I have only had a few sessions with him, but he’s a good listener and was exactly what I was looking for. I believe I will be using his services for awhile.