(615) 502-0548
Hendersonville, TN 37075
Hi, I'm Mike,
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I know that deciding to seek counseling can feel overwhelming and intimidating. Reaching out for help often takes a lot of courage, especially after you’ve tried finding solutions on your own or through advice from friends, family, or online sources.
I understand that feeling—many of my clients have been in your shoes. If you’ve made it this far, I encourage you to take one more step and reach out. Let’s talk about how I can help.
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I am passionate about supporting individuals in understanding the root of their struggles and guiding them toward healing through evidence-based treatment. My approach is centered around creating a personalized plan that fits your needs, with a focus on offering the support and tools you need to move forward.
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Change is possible when the pain of staying the same outweighs the fear of change. If you're ready for that change, let today be the day you reach out.
Specializing in Trauma Treatment, Anxiety, OCD & Personality Disorders
Trauma & PTSD
My approach to counseling is deeply trauma-focused, rooted in the Adaptive Information Processing Model developed by Francine Shapiro, the founder of EMDR. I specialize in working with both military and civilian individuals struggling with PTSD and complex trauma, guiding them through the process of healing distressing memories and alleviating chronic physiological dysregulation.
A key aspect of my work is identifying the triggers and negative core beliefs that drive stress responses, often keeping individuals stuck in cycles of fear, hypervigilance, or emotional numbness. Whether the trauma stems from a single event or a series of experiences over time, I tailor treatment plans to address each person’s unique history and needs, fostering deep, lasting healing.
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I utilize evidence-based modalities, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Image Transformation Therapy, to help clients resolve past trauma and restore a sense of emotional and physical balance. By addressing trauma at its root, we can work toward rewiring the brain’s response to perceived threats, reducing distressing symptoms, and reclaiming a sense of safety, confidence, and well-being.
Anxiety & OCD
Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can profoundly affect daily life, making even simple tasks feel overwhelming. The World Health Organization ranks OCD among the top 10 most disabling health conditions worldwide, highlighting its significant impact on mental and emotional well-being. While many people associate OCD with visible compulsions like hand-washing or checking, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as Pure "O" OCD—a form characterized by distressing intrusive thoughts without outward compulsive behaviors.
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I view OCD as a maladaptive coping mechanism, an attempt to reduce anxiety by seeking certainty or control in response to perceived future threats or catastrophic outcomes. However, these compulsive cycles only reinforce the fear, keeping individuals stuck in a loop of distress.
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Emerging research continues to reveal the powerful connection between our thoughts, brain function, and physiological responses. By leveraging the brain’s natural ability to rewire itself—known as neuroplasticity—we can reshape thought patterns, retrain emotional responses, and break free from the grip of intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and rituals. Using evidence-based approaches, I work with clients to develop healthier ways of responding to anxiety, allowing them to regain a sense of clarity, confidence, and control in their lives.
Personality Disorders
If you’ve ever suspected that someone in your life might be a narcissist or sociopath, you’re not alone—and there is hope for both understanding and healing. Relationships with individuals who exhibit narcissistic or sociopathic traits can be deeply confusing, emotionally exhausting, and even traumatic. Their behavior often follows highly predictable patterns, yet recognizing these patterns while caught in the cycle of manipulation can be incredibly difficult.
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Decades of research on Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) have helped uncover the strategies these individuals use to maintain control, from love bombing and gaslighting to silent treatment and smear campaigns. Whether their tactics are overt and aggressive or covert and subtle, the impact on your emotional and psychological well-being can be profound. You may feel constantly second-guessing yourself, struggling with self-doubt, or even questioning your reality.
I specialize in helping people identify these harmful dynamics, understand the psychological mechanisms at play, and develop a clear path toward healing and self-empowerment. Together, we’ll work on setting healthy boundaries, rebuilding self-trust, and processing any lingering trauma so that you can regain your sense of peace and autonomy. Healing from narcissistic and sociopathic abuse is not just about escaping the toxic relationship—it’s about reclaiming your identity, restoring your confidence, and learning to engage in relationships from a place of strength rather than fear.
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Beyond narcissistic and sociopathic abuse, I also have extensive experience working with other personality disorders, including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). These conditions can create significant challenges in relationships, self-perception, and emotional regulation. Whether you are struggling personally or navigating a relationship with someone who has one of these disorders, I offer compassionate, evidence-based guidance tailored to your unique situation.
Depression
Depression is more than just feeling sad—it can seep into every aspect of life, making even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming. It distorts thoughts, drains energy, and creates a sense of hopelessness that can feel impossible to escape. But the truth is, depression is treatable, and healing is possible.
​Effective treatment starts with understanding that depression isn’t a sign of weakness or something to “just get over.” It’s a complex condition influenced by life experiences, unresolved trauma, brain chemistry, and deeply held beliefs about oneself. That’s why I take an individualized approach, helping clients uncover the root causes of their depression while developing strategies to break free from its grip.
By addressing both the emotional and physical aspects, we can work toward alleviating the symptoms, restoring balance, and helping you reconnect with a sense of purpose and well-being.