My name is Mike and I call Kentucky my home. I have spent most of my life in the Appalachian region, with a short-work tenure in Knoxville. I love living in the mountains and find being outdoors is where I find the most joy.
My approach to therapy is warm, open, encouraging, and direct. I draw from a variety of methods to create a tailored approach for each individual and situation. I’m an active therapist, combining experience, education, creativity, and a sense of humor with a down-to-earth, realistic approach to counseling.
My areas of specialized practice experience include: depression, anxiety, marriage and family therapy, family issues/discord, family changes, stress management, adjustment, trauma, coaching/motivation/self-esteem, sleep issues, and substance-abuse.
I like to utilize a cognitive-behavioral approach to therapy, as well as acceptance work, for more general mental health concerns. For marriage/family concerns, a behavioral family therapy model, and I utilize S.M.A.R.T. recovery for substance abuse issues. I like to use involve Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, which can be utilized for minor, or significant sleep disturbances.
Past and current practice experience includes:
Institutional Review Board for a federal government agency
Kentucky Board of Social Work Clinical Supervisor
Healthcare Ethics Consultant
13 years of clinical work with the federal and state government, providing care for military veterans and their families.
2 years working as a bereavement counselor for Hospice.
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SPECIALTIES
• Stress, Anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Parenting issues
• Self esteem
• Depression
I also have experience in Addictions, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Sleeping disorders, Anger management, Career difficulties, Coping with life changes, Coaching, ADHD.
Years of Experience: 15
Additional areas of focus: Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Intimacy-related issues, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Communication problems, Guilt and shame, Life purpose, Social anxiety and phobia
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Therapy
KY LCSW 3792
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Michael Cummings. 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.
Mike has been an absolute joy to work with. As someone who started therapy immediately after an end of a 10-year relationship with my significant other and on the cusp of a career pivot after 2 year sabbatical from corporate work, Mike's kind, empathetic, and gentle style of therapy was exactly what I needed to help me work through the grief, depression, confusion, fear, and anxiety that came with all the life changes that came with both these situations (moving out of a home from my ex-partner, redefining and interviewing for a new career, learning how to be on my own again, etc.).
I worked with Mike for the last four months and he was the perfect therapist for my needs. I'm someone who is willing to try a lot of different things at once to 'fix' my own situation and as soon as I see some progress, I tend to stop doing the things that worked. With Mike's weekly guidance, worksheet suggestions, and encouragement, I felt like he was the anchor that I needed to keep to continue the things that worked - every week he made it a point to celebrate whatever win, uplifting effort I've done, and provided the exact words I needed to hear to work through whatever obstacle I had for the week. His therapy isn't style, but rather one that's like talking to with a non-pushy friend that somehow always says just the right words you need to hear to help you feel better without ever feeling prescriptive, directive, or demanding - something I really really appreciated and am grateful for. No issue felt too small or trivial to bring up.
I'm so glad that BetterHelp allowed me the opportunity to connect with a therapist like Mike and I'm incredibly happy and grateful with the journey I've had with him. Highly recommend to others.
Thank you Mike!
Written on Apr 15, 2023 after therapy with Michael for 5 months
He’s easy to talk to
Written on Mar 18, 2023 after therapy with Michael for 2 months on issues concerning addictions
Mike has been great
Written on Jul 18, 2021 after therapy with Michael for 1 year and 4 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, and compassion fatigue
So far so good. I have made a step forward.
Written on Jun 07, 2020 after therapy with Michael for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, eating disorders, and sleeping disorders
Michael has been a very kind, empathetic, and supportive counselor. He has listened without judging and encourages me to when he feels I need it. I can’t recommend him enough.
Written on Apr 12, 2020 after therapy with Michael for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and intimacy-related issues
Michael is very compassionate. Very comfortable with him. He is knowledgeable in grief work.
Written on Jan 24, 2020 after therapy with Michael for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, grief, and sleeping disorders