- Relationship support
- Parenting help
- Sleep and rest
About Michael
Michael Michnya is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with 39 years of experience helping people improve relationships and personal growth. He focuses on practical change that fits everyday life and encourages hopeful, goal-oriented work in sessions.
He helps parents find more cooperation with their children while using less energy. He supports couples who want to strengthen their relationship and people who face creative blocks or life transitions. Sleeping and rest concerns are among the issues he addresses alongside stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, and coping with change.
Michael asks for openness, honesty, and a willingness to try new strategies between sessions. He expects clients to attend sessions on time, try assigned exercises, and report what is and isn't working. When clients bring effort and curiosity, he focuses on building practical steps toward change.
His background includes early work in preschool education and volunteer work in child abuse prevention. He spent years as a counselor in adolescent substance abuse programs and later coordinated family-adolescent alcohol services after earning a master’s degree in counseling psychology.
From 1990 to 2014 he managed programs that trained and supervised in-home counselors working with at-risk families. Since then he has provided individual, group, and family counseling in short-term rehab, community agencies, and a federally qualified health center while maintaining a private practice.
Michael emphasizes creativity, optimism, and proven methods to help people make lasting changes. He frames therapy as collaborative problem-solving aimed at practical results and healthier relationships.
Therapeutic approaches and how they work online
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening, respect, and helping people find their own solutions; it is useful for boosting self esteem and coping with life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns; it often helps with anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Emotionally-Focused Therapy, or EFT, helps people understand and shift emotional responses in close relationships and can improve intimacy and communication.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss your goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together you’ll try methods that fit your needs and adjust them over time based on what feels most helpful.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the current session options before booking so you know what formats are available. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove the time spent traveling to appointments. Licensed professionals can use these methods to deliver the same practical exercises and communication work they use in person, helping you apply strategies for sleep, stress, relationships, and other concerns in daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
39+ years
Credentials
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems can Michael help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family issues, parenting concerns, LGBT matters, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy concerns, sleeping problems, anger, self esteem, career and depression.
What is his general therapy style like?
His style is practical and collaborative, asking clients to try exercises between sessions and to be honest about what helps. He values creativity, optimism, and goal-focused work.
How long has he been practicing?
He has 39 years of experience, starting as a preschool teacher and later working in adolescent substance abuse programs and family services before focusing on private practice.
What credentials and location are listed?
He is an LPC, which stands for licensed professional counselor, and practices in New Jersey.
Which languages does he use in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with him?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions billed or paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.