Michael Kubiak, LMSW

Michael Kubiak is a licensed social worker with 25 years of clinical experience in Michigan. He uses straightforward, practical methods to help people who are stressed, anxious, grieving, or facing addiction. He focuses on clear goals and steady progress rather than jargon or promises. Michael tailors sessions to everyday life. He helps people build better coping skills, handle big changes, and manage mood or attention problems like ADHD. He also supports people dealing with relationship strain, sleep or eating concerns, and the effects of trauma and abuse. His style is collaborative and down-to-earth. Michael listens first, then works with each person to set realistic steps they can use between sessions. He mixes cognitive behavioral ideas with client-centered and mindfulness practices so people learn to notice thoughts, test them, and try new behaviors. Over his career he has worked with a wide range of concerns, including chronic pain or illness, caregiver stress, codependency, and issues that come from family of origin or blended family situations. He also draws on motivational interviewing and solution-focused techniques to help people find concrete next steps when motivation is low. Sessions are offered through video calls, phone, live chat, and text messaging. Michael speaks English and practices in Michigan as an LMSW. To begin, a person completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules appointments that fit their needs.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person's experience. The therapist offers empathic responses and helps clients explore what matters most to them, which can be useful for emotional struggles and self-esteem work.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, emphasizes identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, depression, ADHD-related symptoms, and stress by creating practical exercises and homework to try between sessions.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus. It pairs well with CBT when people need tools to notice thoughts and bodily sensations before reacting.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively to figure out what fits a person’s goals, needs, and preferences, and adjusts the plan as progress is made.

Online sessions offer flexibility and access in different formats. Video calls let people keep face-to-face contact, phone sessions can be used when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed, and live chat or text messaging work well for quick updates, mood tracking, or when someone prefers written communication. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and try approaches that work for them.