- Blended family issues
- Parenting and fatherhood
- CBT and EFT methods
About Michael
Rev. Michael Abell is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Pennsylvania with 11 years of clinical experience. He brings a background in pastoral ministry and trained further with an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy completed in 2017. He works with concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, parenting, blended family challenges, addictions, trauma and grief.
He describes a straightforward, collaborative style. He treats people as the expert on their own lives and helps them use their strengths to make practical changes. Sessions focus on clear goals, small steps, and real-world practice between meetings.
His background includes long experience in pastoral counseling alongside formal clinical training. That mix informs his approach to family and fatherhood issues, forgiveness, and young adult transitions. He has worked with people from diverse faith backgrounds and sexual orientations.
In session he uses methods drawn from Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. That means conversations that identify patterns, try new behaviors, and focus on what works for daily life. He helps with parenting routines, co-parenting strain, loyalty conflicts, and merging households.
Practical steps are emphasized. Clients set measurable goals and try brief experiments between meetings. The therapist offers encouragement and direct feedback while supporting clients as they test changes in their blended family lives.
Approaches used in remote sessions and how they fit everyday life
Client-Centered Therapy puts the person's experience at the center. The therapist listens closely, reflects what is said, and helps the client clarify goals and choices. This approach helps with relationship strain and figuring out parenting priorities.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact. It uses short experiments and practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is often useful for anxiety, stress, and mood concerns tied to blended family transitions.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences. That means trying options, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together.
Confirm the specific session formats before booking, as the profile does not list formats explicitly. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into daily life, such as squeezing in a shorter check-in during a work break or avoiding travel time. They also allow work that focuses on behavior change, role practice, and real-world experiments that clients can test between meetings.
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 concerns does he address related to blended families?
He helps with stress around merging households, step-parenting roles, co-parenting tensions, loyalty conflicts, and related relationship issues.
How would he describe his therapeutic style?
He works collaboratively and directly, focusing on clients' strengths, clear goals, and practical steps to try between sessions.
What is his professional background and experience?
He has 11 years of clinical experience, a background in pastoral ministry, and completed an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2017.
What credentials does he hold and where does he practice?
He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Pennsylvania.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with him?
He does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working with him?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.