Matthew English, LCSW

Matthew English is a licensed clinical social worker with eight years of experience as an LCSW in Illinois. He blends practical talk therapy with mindfulness tools to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem concerns. He also focuses on issues common in LGBT communities, trauma and abuse, and questions around sexuality and life purpose.

Matthew encourages noticing thoughts and feelings in the moment. He uses simple breathing and grounding steps so strong emotions feel more manageable. Sessions are collaborative and calm, and he often gives short exercises to try between meetings.

His work draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to look at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. He also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and client-centered approaches to help people clarify values and make concrete choices. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills and emotionally-focused ideas appear when emotional regulation or attachment topics come up.

Matthew aims to build a respectful space where clients can name difficult experiences and test new ways of responding. He checks in about homework from previous sessions to see what helped and what didn’t. Practical, steady progress is the goal rather than quick fixes.

People who want clear tools and a reflective partner may find this approach helpful. Sessions are offered in English and delivered online in formats that fit different schedules and lifestyles.

How online therapy uses CBT and mindfulness techniques

Matthew often blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in online work. CBT focuses on identifying thought patterns and testing small behavior changes to reduce distress, which helps with anxiety, low mood, and stress. ACT encourages accepting hard feelings while committing to actions that match personal values, a useful approach for life purpose questions and building self-compassion.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Matthew works together with each person to decide which tools fit their goals and preferences. He may try CBT exercises for a few sessions, add ACT practices, or use client-centered conversation to follow what matters most to the client.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to offer flexibility. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit a work break. Live chat and text messaging make brief check-ins and homework reviews easy between meetings. These options help people keep therapy consistent around busy lives.