About Michael
Michael Johnnson is a licensed professional counselor with four decades of experience helping people facing anxiety, stress, addiction, grief, and life transitions. He meets people where they are and focuses on practical steps that feel doable. Michael draws on a long career to help clients get clearer about goals and next steps.
Michael uses plain conversation and active listening to understand what matters most to each person. He adapts his pace to match the situation - sometimes leaning into short solution-focused work, and other times taking more time for deeper issues.
Background and approach
He aims to make therapy understandable and purposeful, so people know what each session is for. His background includes broad experience with relationship issues, parenting concerns, career stress, ADHD, and trauma. He also supports people dealing with caregiving strain, blended household challenges, and aging-related concerns.
Michael can bring a faith-informed perspective when requested by the client. In sessions he explains the goals, the steps he proposes, and why they might help. Clients participate actively in forming the plan and decide the pace.
He believes clear expectations reduce confusion and make progress easier to track. Michael works with straightforward tools drawn from several therapeutic approaches. He balances practical skill-building with attention to personal values and meaning.
His Wisconsin-based practice centers on helping people find steady, usable ways to manage problems and move forward.
Approaches that translate well to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying what matters most to you and taking small actions that align with those values. It can help with anxiety, low motivation, and life transitions by shifting attention to workable choices rather than fighting thoughts. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, behaviors, and feelings interact and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and many day-to-day struggles. Client-Centered Therapy centers on empathetic listening and creating space for people to describe their experience; it helps when someone needs validation and a nonjudgmental partner in figuring things out.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Michael will collaborate with clients to choose methods that match their goals, pace, and preferences. Together they test what works, adjust when needed, and build a plan that feels realistic and meaningful.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video lets you use visual cues and deeper conversation. Phone sessions can be a simpler option with lower bandwidth needs. Live chat and text are helpful for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options increase flexibility and make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Eating disorders
- Family problems
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Visually impaired
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 40 years
- Licensed
- Wisconsin
- Languages
- English
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