Michael Valdes, LCSW

Michael Valdes is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people manage stress, anxiety, and a range of other life challenges. He works in Tennessee and brings 17 years of experience to conversations about mood, relationships, and coping when life feels overwhelming.

He listens without rushing and focuses on what matters most to each person. Sessions are conversational and aim to identify small, practical steps that fit daily life. Michael draws on several therapy styles to match the work to the client's goals rather than using a single approach every time.

Over his career he has supported people facing addictions, grief, trauma, and major life transitions. He also addresses issues such as self-esteem, intimacy concerns, communication problems, and workplace stress. Clients often seek help for depression, bipolar challenges, and managing anger or compulsive behaviors.

Michael uses methods that include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, cognitive behavioral approaches, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, client-centered work, and existential perspectives. Those tools are used to help people notice patterns, try new behaviors, and clarify what matters most to them.

He aims to build a practical plan each person can use between sessions. Michael emphasizes collaboration, clear goals, and straightforward strategies so progress can be noticed step by step.

How specific approaches are used in online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice painful thoughts without getting stuck in them and to take actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, stress, and making changes when life feels uncertain. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like depression and panic. It is practical and often includes exercises to try between sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers skills for managing intense emotions and improving relationships through distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences and then suggest approaches that fit those aims. That decision is collaborative and can shift as needs change over time.

Confirm current session options before booking since formats are not listed here. Online therapy can help fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when needed, and making it easier to schedule around work or caregiving. It also makes it possible to use worksheets, in-session coaching, and skill practice in ways that transfer directly to everyday routines.