Michael Peterson, LCSW

Michael Peterson is an LCSW who helps people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, grief, and life transitions. He focuses on practical steps that can reduce overwhelm and improve day-to-day coping. Michael works to create an open, nonjudgmental space where clients can share thoughts and feelings and be heard.

He brings five years of clinical experience as a licensed clinical social worker in Illinois. Prior roles have included case worker, crisis clinician, and therapist. Those varied settings shaped a straightforward, down-to-earth style that values clear goals and steady progress.

Sessions tend to focus on what is most pressing right now. Michael blends approaches such as cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and acceptance strategies to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try small changes. He also uses motivational interviewing and client-centered methods to support commitment and self-direction.

People come to him for a range of concerns including depression, relationship and parenting stress, ADHD, bipolar mood issues, compassion fatigue, and substance use. He also works with aging and caregiver stress, autism-related concerns, and family of origin issues. Michael aims to help clients move toward more purposeful, manageable days.

To begin, he asks about current struggles and goals and then builds simple, practical steps with each person. The focus is on skills you can use between sessions and realistic strategies for making lasting change.

How Michael Uses Therapy Approaches Online

Michael integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in ways that are easy to follow. ACT helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and move toward valued actions rather than getting stuck in worry or regret. CBT focuses on identifying thought and behavior patterns and testing small changes to see what helps reduce distress.

He also draws on client-centered methods that put the person’s priorities first. That means the therapist and client decide together which approach fits best. Finding the right mix is a collaborative process based on each person’s needs and goals rather than a fixed method.

If you plan to try online therapy, check which session options the therapist currently offers before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins between longer appointments, and let people choose a quieter time of day that works for them. The therapist will help determine session pacing and techniques that fit your routine and goals.