About me
Me and my approach
I'm Michael (he/him), a Black, gay Bay Area native providing short- and long-term therapy. I work with people experiencing a broad range of mental health challenges — including anxiety, depression, identity questions, relationship challenges, crises, psychosis, and mood disorders. I'm especially drawn to working with Black and other people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, men exploring masculinity, and adolescents navigating development and finding their place in the world.
My clinical approach is relational and person-centered, grounded in psychodynamic theory. I integrate a number of different evidence-based therapies to create individualized treatment plans tailored to each client's needs. In sessions, I show up with warmth, directness, and humor — listening deeply, reflecting back what I hear, and collaborating with you to uncover patterns, build self-awareness, and develop strategies that foster empowerment and self-acceptance.
I recognize that you know yourself best. My role is to listen, guide, and work alongside you.
My path here
For over a decade, I worked in tech at Bay Area startups solving interesting challenges, crafting compelling stories, and learning how people and teams work. But after some time, the work no longer aligned with who I was or what I wanted for my life.
Living in the Bay Area, I noticed what was changing: fewer people who looked like me and more and more people struggling with their mental health. I couldn't solve these problems alone, but I realized I could contribute by actually listening to and supporting those being overlooked.
That's when I found my way to therapy.
Today, I'm a dual-licensed marriage and family therapist and professional clinical counselor who has worked in a variety of clinical settings. What drives my work is straightforward: creating a space where people feel safe sharing their stories, examining them, and being who they are. I'm committed to helping clients develop self-awareness, empowerment, and self-acceptance while expanding the boundaries within which they feel safe expressing themselves.
Professional experience
Linden Global Learning provides educational and therapeutic support to international students and schools anywhere in the world. I support students in navigating the unique challenges of international life and the “third culture kid” experience. To accomplish this, I work in close collaboration with schools and families to create a supportive network around each student and ensure they have the skills, confidence, and connections needed to flourish.
Linden Global Learning Support Services
Counselor
Edgewood is a leading nonprofit mental healthcare provider for San Francisco Bay Area youth and families facing mental health challenges, trauma, and family crises. Specifically, I was part of Edgewood's Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), working with the San Francisco Department of Public Health to evaluate and triage children and youth (ages 5-17) experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms and mental health crises.
Edgewood
Crisis clinician
Stillpoint Therapy Collective is a collective of therapists committed to building a non-judgmental, curious, welcoming space for all. Its therapists specialize in trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, LGBTQ+ affirming therapy, and somatic approaches for nervous system regulation. During my time there, I built my private practice, provided individual and couples therapy, and continued my clinical training and development.
Stillpoint Therapy Collective
Associate Psychotherapist
Felton Institute
Clinical Care Manager, Therapist
Felton Institute’s (re)MIND® program focuses on early intervention and treatment for youth and young adults experiencing the recent onset of schizophrenia, bipolar, and other psychotic disorders. While there, I managed a caseload of 14, providing ongoing treatment for psychosis and mood disorders, case management, and crisis management.
Crisis Support Services provides in-home therapy for older adults (65+ years) with identified physical limitations, grief counseling that addresses the unique experiences of grief and traumatic bereavement, as well as school-based therapy for students at Alameda County Public Schools. While there, I provided individual and group counseling to adolescents, TAY (Transitional Age Youth), adults, and older adults.
Crisis Support Services of Alameda County
MFT Trainee
Credentials and education
Clinical credentials
California
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #160996
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #22207
Delaware
Mental Health Interstate Telehealth Registration
#MI-0000435
Florida
Registered TLHT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #TPMF1979
Education
The Wright Institute
MA, Counseling Psychology
UC San Diego
BA, Political Science
Training and certifications
2026 • ACT for Depression and Anxiety Disorders • Psychwire
2025 • Whole Family Therapy Theory & Practice • UCSF and Ken Epstein, LCSW, PhD
2025 • CANS / ANSA Certification, San Francisco County • The John Praed Foundation
2023 • Mini-SIPS Certification • Prime Clinic, Yale University School of Medicine
2022 • Trauma-Focused CBT Training • The Medical University of South Carolina