- Relationships
- Anxiety and stress
- Young adult issues
About Michael
Rev. Michael Abell is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania with 11 years of counseling experience. He combines a background in pastoral ministry with formal graduate training in marriage and family therapy. He lists young adult issues among his focus areas and works with concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationship strain, parenting, grief, addiction, and life changes.
He describes a practical, person-centered way of working. Sessions focus on the client's goals and on building on existing strengths. He uses clear, direct conversation to help people identify steps they can try between sessions. The emphasis is on what can change in everyday life rather than busy clinical language.
Michael draws on several approaches, including client-centered methods, cognitive behavioral ideas, emotionally-focused work, and solution-focused techniques. He explains things plainly and helps people see options when they feel stuck. He also brings years of pastoral experience to conversations about values and forgiveness when those topics come up.
People who come to him often want help with relationships, family roles, fatherhood concerns, blended family problems, or the stress of starting a new stage of life. He also notes experience with ADHD-related challenges, intimacy concerns, and career strain. Sessions aim to produce small, practical changes and clearer next steps.
His work is for adults living in Pennsylvania who speak English. Prospective clients are asked to use the site’s sign-up process to match and schedule a first session.
Therapeutic approaches and working online
Client-centered work focuses on listening and supporting the client's own goals. It helps people who feel uncertain about what to change by clarifying priorities and using the client's strengths as a starting point. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors interact. It offers practical strategies for anxiety, depression, and stress by testing small experiments and changing unhelpful patterns. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) attends to feelings and connection in relationships, which can help with intimacy concerns and family conflicts.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust those choices as progress is made.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a work or school schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when life is busy. They also let people continue work with a licensed professional while managing studies, parenting, or job shifts. Ask about available formats and how sessions are scheduled when you complete the matching questionnaire.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
Pennsylvania
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He lists stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family problems, parenting, addiction, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy issues, self-esteem, career concerns, ADHD, and young adult issues.
What is his therapeutic style like?
He works in a practical, client-centered way and uses clear conversation to identify goals. He also uses cognitive behavioral and solution-focused techniques to develop steps to try between sessions.
How much experience does he have?
He has 11 years of counseling experience and a background in pastoral ministry combined with graduate training in marriage and family therapy.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania.
Can I work with him if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are provided in English and he does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking since the biography does not list specific formats.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.