About Michael
Rev. Michael Abell is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Pennsylvania with 11 years of counseling experience and a long background in pastoral ministry. He combines practical life experience with formal graduate study to help people facing common and complex struggles.
He speaks plainly and focuses on clear steps people can try between sessions. He works with individuals on concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and ADHD. He also helps clients navigate relationship and parenting challenges, blended family issues, fatherhood concerns, and family of origin struggles.
Background and approach
His approach is collaborative and strengths-based, aiming to build skills that matter in daily life. His style blends client-centered listening with practical strategies drawn from cognitive behavioral ideas and solution-focused planning. Emotionally-focused methods are used when relationship patterns and attachment issues come into view.
Sessions tend to be straightforward and goal-directed, with homework or small experiments when useful. Clients can expect a supportive, encouraging presence in sessions. He aims to be a teammate who helps people take steps toward their goals.
He emphasizes realistic change that happens in daily routines rather than quick fixes. Background includes decades in ministry alongside graduate study completed in marriage and family therapy. That mix of real-world experience and formal training shapes how he frames problems and suggests next steps.
He offers therapy in English and sees clients across Pennsylvania.
How therapy approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters to the client. It helps people feel heard and supported while they identify their goals and strengths.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions, then tries small experiments to shift unhelpful patterns. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and managing ADHD-related challenges like organization and impulsivity.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and day-to-day demands to decide whether a client-centered, CBT, or emotionally-focused emphasis is best. This choice can change over time as needs shift.
Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues help. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can work well for quick check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging let clients share thoughts in shorter bursts and fit support into busy days. These options make it easier to keep momentum and practice new skills between sessions.
Questions people ask
What issues does he help with?
What is his general therapy style?
How long has he been practicing?
What credentials and region are listed?
Which languages are offered for sessions?
Can people outside the US work with him?
What session formats are available?
How are fees handled and how do I start?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Trauma and abuse
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 11 years
- Licensed
- Pennsylvania
- Languages
- English
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