Michael (Mike) Wallington, LPCC

Michael (Mike) Wallington is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with 44 years of experience based in New Mexico. He focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, or substance use. Mike aims to create a calm, steady presence so clients can begin to sort what feels urgent from what can wait.

He listens first and works at a pace the person sets. Sessions emphasize practical steps to reduce distress and improve daily functioning. Mike draws on cognitive behavioral tools to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new responses in everyday situations.

His work also values attachment and the way close relationships shape feelings and behavior. That helps when people struggle with trust, abandonment fears, or repeating old family patterns. He uses client-centered skills to stay grounded in each person’s experience and priorities.

Mindfulness techniques are offered to manage strong emotions and increase present-moment coping. Dialectical Behavior Therapy ideas are used when people need skills for emotion regulation and better communication under stress.

Mike focuses on concrete goals like improving sleep, reducing substance use, calming panic, managing anger, or repairing communication. He supports people through life transitions, parenting strain, and career stress by pairing practical strategies with steady support.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Michael blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy in ways that fit online formats. CBT focuses on spotting and changing patterns of thinking and behavior, which works well through structured conversations, worksheets, and action plans shared during sessions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early and current relationships shape feelings and reactions; that perspective helps when discussing relationship patterns or parenting concerns in session.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals and try different methods together to see what helps most. That could mean practicing new skills in a phone check-in, using mindfulness exercises during video sessions, or revisiting relationship examples over messaging.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues matter. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be a simpler check-in. Live chat or text messaging is useful for brief updates, tracking progress, or getting support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family, or caregiving duties while keeping continuity of care.