About Michael
Michael Tidstrand is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) who helps people coping with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, bipolar challenges, ADHD, and changes in life. He offers a warm, nonjudgmental space where people can speak honestly and be heard. Michael centers his work on listening, curiosity, and practical steps rather than labels or blame.
He brings ten years of clinical experience and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University to his practice.
Background and approach
That background informs clear, down-to-earth methods such as mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral tools. Sessions focus on what feels most useful day to day - managing overwhelm, improving focus, and reducing unhelpful thought patterns. Michael uses a mix of approaches to match each person’s needs.
He draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clarify values and take small meaningful actions. He incorporates Attachment-Based ideas to look at relationship patterns and how they shape feelings. He also uses client-centered listening to keep sessions grounded in the person's priorities.
Work with Michael often includes practical skills - breathing and grounding, thought reframing, and behavior experiments to test new ways of doing things. He explains options plainly and helps people pick tools to try between sessions. The emphasis is on steady progress rather than perfect solutions.
People who choose Michael tend to want a supportive counselor who speaks plainly and offers real strategies. He accepts clients across California and provides care that aims to fit each person's life and commitments.
How Michael’s approaches translate to online therapy
Michael commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to guide online work. ACT focuses on clarifying what matters most and taking small, meaningful steps toward those values despite difficult thoughts or feelings. CBT breaks down how thoughts influence feelings and behavior and teaches concrete skills for changing unhelpful patterns.Finding the right approach is part of the process. He works collaboratively to decide which strategies to try based on each person’s needs, goals, and daily life. That means checking in about what helps, adjusting methods, and picking exercises that fit the client’s routine and preferences.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for different situations. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text work well for brief check-ins, skill reminders, or when someone needs a shorter, written touchpoint during the day. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family, or school schedules while using the same clinical approaches he practices in person.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
Also listed
- ADHD
- Bipolar disorder
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Family conflicts
- Self esteem
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English
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