Matthew English

Matthew English, LCSW, offers a trauma-focused approach that centers on present-moment awareness and practical coping skills. He uses straightforward methods to help people named concerns like anxiety, stress, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. He also supports clients exploring sexuality, LGBT issues, men’s concerns, attachment struggles, and questions about life purpose and self-love.

Matthew brings eight years of social work experience in Illinois. He combines trauma-focused work with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Client-Centered techniques. Sessions emphasize noticing difficult thoughts and feelings, using the breath to ground in the moment, and trying small, doable steps between meetings.

In the room he aims to build a cooperative space. He invites clients to name what matters to them, then links values to practical goals. Homework is common and reviewed without judgment to help people track progress and learn from attempts that didn’t go as planned.

Matthew’s background also includes time teaching yoga, which shapes his focus on breath and body awareness as tools for emotional regulation. He frames therapy as a shared process of discovery rather than a top-down prescription.

People who choose him can expect straight talk, gentle encouragement, and concrete skills to manage intense moments. To begin, readers should use the site’s Start Therapy flow and follow the matching steps to schedule sessions.

How trauma-focused and skills-based approaches work online

Trauma-Focused Therapy helps people process upsetting events and reduce reactivity by working through memories and building safety in the present. It often focuses on what happens in the body and mind during a trigger and on learning skills to respond differently.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches people to notice thoughts without getting stuck in them and to act based on their values. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and life-direction concerns because it links everyday choices to what matters most.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a supportive, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist follows the client’s lead. This approach helps people feel heard and build their own answers over time.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Matthew will collaborate with each person to see which methods fit their needs, goals, and comfort. That may mean combining trauma-focused work with ACT or CBT tools and adjusting over time based on what helps.

Confirm which session formats are offered before booking, since formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make sessions easier to fit into a busy routine, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also makes it simpler to practice skills in everyday life and bring real moments from home into session for discussion.