Michael Cotter

Michael Cotter is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who helps people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma and abuse, depression, parenting strain, relationship and family difficulties, grief, and work or life transitions. He approaches each person with patience and without judgment, meeting them where they are and walking alongside them through change.

He uses practical, goal-focused work in sessions. That includes client-centered and solution-focused conversations that look for steps people can try between meetings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tools are used to spot unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. He also draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy and EMDR when trauma symptoms are a central concern.

Michael describes his style as straightforward and supportive. He aims to make the room a place where people can talk about what feels hardest, try small experiments, and adjust plans as progress happens. He talks in plain terms and focuses on useful next steps rather than jargon.

His background includes work in addictions and related problems such as depression, bipolar symptoms, and family conflict. He brings three years of post-licensure counseling experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri and additional years of earlier helping roles.

People often come for help with specific issues like substance use, codependency, or grief, and for broader concerns like low self-esteem, anger, or compassion fatigue. Michael is available to discuss whether his approach feels like a fit for a person's goals and circumstances.

How trauma-focused and client-centered approaches work online

Trauma-Focused Therapy helps people process painful events and reduce their everyday impact. In plain terms this can mean talking through memories at a pace that feels manageable, learning ways to calm strong reactions, and building skills to feel steadier in daily life.

Client-Centered Therapy centers on the person's goals and experience. The therapist listens closely, reflects what he hears, and helps people set and test small, workable goals that match their values and needs.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) provides concrete tools to notice unhelpful thoughts and try alternative actions. It often includes short exercises or experiments between sessions to see what changes behavior or mood.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss options, try techniques together, and adapt the plan to fit the client's needs, goals, and preferences. That means approaches can change over time as progress or priorities shift.

For practical online arrangements, confirm which session formats are available before scheduling because the profile does not list specific formats. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, shorten check-ins when needed, and avoid travel time. It also lets clients use tools like guided breathing exercises, worksheets, and in-session demonstrations that support ongoing work between meetings.