01 · Who Michael works with

Michael works with stress, Anxiety, family conflicts and parenting issues

Michael lists 5 specialisms and 25 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Michael chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Michael's own words

What Michael says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with nearly 30 years of clinical experience providing online therapy to adolescents, adults, parents, and families.

I work with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, grief and loss, relationship conflict, family conflict, life transitions, and recovery from addictive or compulsive behaviors. I also work with men seeking emotional growth, leadership development, and greater clarity in direction and purpose. I especially enjoy helping teenagers navigate identity, motivation, and behavioral challenges, while equipping parents with practical tools and communication strategies.

My approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, strengths-based counseling, and principles from positive psychology. I believe insight can lead to action, and effective therapy creates forward movement and observable progress. Together, we identify patterns, build coping skills, improve communication, and create practical steps toward lasting change.

I am a Christian therapist and offer faith-based counseling for clients who desire it, including integration of biblical principles and prayer. I also work respectfully and effectively with individuals of all faith backgrounds or no religious affiliation. Therapy with me is always collaborative and centered on your goals.

If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, discouraged, or uncertain about your next steps, we can work together to build clarity, resilience, and forward momentum.

Michael Spain, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Michael works

The 4 approaches Michael lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Michael lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Michael's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Michael runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Narrative Therapy

Treats the story you tell about your life as something that can be examined and retold rather than as the plain facts. Separates the person from the problem - “the anxiety” rather than “your anxiety” - to make room for the parts the current story leaves out.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

Internal Family SystemsIFS

Treats the mind as made up of parts - the critic, the one who withdraws, the one that keeps everything running - each of which is trying to protect you. The work is getting to know them rather than overruling them.

Also listed

• Systemic Therapy

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Michael practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Michael's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Michael at this point.

2. Naming Michael specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Michael is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Michael.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Michael

Built from what Michael actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Michael's - Michael has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “With 30 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

• “You offer sessions in English and Spanish. Does the work change depending on which we use?”

  People often reach different material in a first language than in a second. Worth naming before you choose.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LMFT

Licensed in

Texas

Licence

TX LMFT 4953, TX LPC 15157

Licence number

4953

Licence expires

31 Mar 2028

NPI

1609880475

Years in practice

30

Gender

Male

Languages

English, Spanish

International clients

Accepted

Listed since

17 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Michael's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Michael. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.