Michael Valdes, LCSW
Tennessee · 17 years in practice
Michael Valdes is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing anxiety, depression, relationship trouble, addiction, and other life changes.
License and registration
- LCSW, Tennessee
- 5691 · expires January 2027
- NPI
- 1841544178 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 17
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Michael
Michael Valdes is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing anxiety, depression, relationship trouble, addiction, and other life changes. He speaks plainly and focuses on what a person needs right now. Michael has 17 years of clinical experience and works from Tennessee.
He uses Existential therapy to help people find meaning and direction when life feels empty or confusing. He also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Client-Centered approaches to tailor sessions to each person.
Background and approach
In practice this means talking through values, building skills, and testing new ways of responding to problems. Sessions are practical and aimed at daily life. Michael helps people manage stress, cope with grief, and address patterns that keep showing up.
He also supports those navigating intimacy concerns, kink and alternative sex culture questions, and issues around addiction and recovery. He brings experience working with trauma, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and compassion fatigue among other concerns. Michael is comfortable addressing difficult emotions like shame, guilt, anger, and jealousy, and helping people repair communication and commitment problems.
Michael describes therapy as a collaborative process. He listens first, then offers tools from different approaches so people can try what fits. The goal is clearer choices, steadier coping, and more meaningful connections in daily life.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Michael lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Cancer
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Workplace issues
Approaches Michael names
- Existential Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
Approaches that guide online sessions
Existential Therapy helps people face questions about meaning, purpose, and identity. In therapy this often looks like talking through life choices, confronting feelings of emptiness, and clarifying what matters most.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, teaches people to notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them while taking action aligned with their values. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and it can help with mood, stress, and some relationship patterns.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences. That process may involve trying tools from different approaches and adjusting based on what helps most.
Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a visual connection matters. Phone sessions can be a lower-bandwidth option or a simpler check-in during a break. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief updates, daily coaching, or when someone prefers writing to speaking. These formats offer flexibility so therapy can be scheduled around work, caregiving, or medical appointments.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Michael help with?
He works with a broad range of concerns including anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, trauma, self-esteem, and stress.
What is his therapeutic style like?
Sessions combine Existential ideas about meaning with practical skills from ACT, CBT, and client-centered work. Conversations focus on values, coping strategies, and behavioral changes.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 17 years of experience providing psychotherapy in clinical settings and independent practice.
What are his credentials and location?
He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in Tennessee.
Which languages are supported and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English and he is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are offered?
He provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as ways to connect.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.
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