Michael Valdes

Michael Valdes is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing hard moments. He is an LCSW with 17 years of experience and works with concerns like anger, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, and relationship struggles. He aims to make the first steps easier for someone who feels stuck or overwhelmed.

He draws from several approaches to tailor sessions to each person. Conversations focus on what feels most urgent and practical. Sessions move at a steady pace and cover skills, choices, and ways to handle strong emotions. Michael encourages small changes that fit daily life.

Over his career he has supported people with trauma, intimacy issues, ADHD, bipolar concerns, career strain, and caregiving burnout. He also addresses attachment and abandonment worries and relationship problems such as communication, jealousy, and infidelity. He works with people navigating life changes like separation or a cancer diagnosis.

His style blends acceptance-based work, cognitive strategies, and client-centered listening. Mindfulness and elements from dialectical approaches also appear when they help someone manage intense emotions. The focus stays on practical tools and clearer next steps.

Sessions are offered in English and are based in Tennessee. Michael uses his clinical experience to help people find steadier ground and rebuild confidence while they cope with anger, loss, and daily stressors.

How therapeutic approaches guide online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that reflect what matters most. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and trying small behavior changes to reduce distress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and building a strong working relationship so a person feels heard and understood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist collaborates with each person to pick methods that match their goals and day-to-day needs. That means trying practical tools together and adjusting what’s used as progress is made.

Confirm the current online session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time and allowing meetings from different locations. It can also allow shorter check-ins when schedules call for them, or reduce the need to be on camera if someone prefers phone-based conversation. The focus remains on learning coping skills, managing anger and stress, and finding workable next steps that fit everyday routines.