LICSW, 14 years of experience
New to Grow
Meet Mike Arieta, LICSW Hello and welcome. I’m Mike Arieta, a licensed clinical social worker with nearly three decades of experience supporting individuals, couples, families, and teens through life’s most complex challenges. Since 1995, I’ve worked across diverse settings—from foster care and homelessness to adoption and refugee support—and have been practicing clinically since 2011. My therapeutic approach is body-based and trauma-informed. I believe our bodies often speak before our minds can make sense of what we’re feeling. This philosophy guides my work with clients navigating trauma, PTSD, and transitions that require deep emotional resilience. I integrate movement-based and somatic strategies to help clients reconnect with themselves and their communities. Currently, I’m completing my Doctor of Social Work degree at Tulane University, where my research focuses on trauma recovery and evidence-informed practices that foster healing. I also hold advanced training in adoption competence and provide support to foster youth, adoptive families, and caregivers navigating complex systems. Therapy, for me, is a collaborative journey. I’m honored to walk alongside my clients as they reclaim their stories, build strength, and move toward meaningful change. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my work—I look forward to connecting with you.
What to Expect in Our First Session Your first session is a gentle beginning. We’ll start by creating a space that feels safe, grounded, and free of judgment. I’ll invite you to share what brings you in—whether it’s a specific concern, a lingering feeling, or simply a sense that something needs attention. You don’t need to have all the words yet; we’ll find them together. I’ll ask some questions to better understand your history, current challenges, and goals for therapy. We’ll also talk about how you experience things in your body—because I believe healing begins with noticing what’s happening beneath the surface. You’ll have room to ask questions, express preferences, and shape the pace of our work. This session isn’t about fixing everything at once. It’s about beginning a relationship built on trust, curiosity, and respect. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, supported, and a little more connected to yourself.
My Greatest Strengths as a Therapist What sets my work apart is the way I integrate deep clinical experience with a body-based, trauma-informed approach. I help clients reconnect with their physical and emotional selves, especially when trauma has disrupted that connection. I believe healing begins in the body—often before words are available—and I guide clients in noticing, naming, and transforming those sensations into insight and resilience. I bring nearly 30 years of social work experience across diverse systems, including foster care, homelessness, and adoption. This breadth allows me to meet clients wherever they are—with cultural humility, clinical precision, and genuine compassion. Whether working with teens, couples, or individuals, I tailor therapy to honor each person’s story while offering practical tools for regulation, reflection, and growth. Clients often tell me they feel deeply seen and supported in our work together. I strive to create a space that is both safe and activating—where healing isn’t just possible, but embodied.
I’m best positioned to serve individuals, couples, and youth who are navigating the effects of trauma—whether recent or long-standing. My dream client is someone who may feel disconnected from their body, overwhelmed by emotional responses, or uncertain about how to move forward. They might be experiencing symptoms of PTSD, struggling with identity or belonging, or simply sensing that something isn’t right but can’t quite name it. I work well with curious clients, open to exploring somatic awareness, and ready to engage in a healing process that honors both their lived experience and their inner resilience. Whether you're a foster youth, a parent, or someone seeking clarity after years of carrying invisible weight, I offer a grounded, compassionate space to reconnect, rebuild, and reimagine what healing can look like. Would you prefer a condensed form for a directory listing or a slogan that encapsulates this essence in a single sentence?
I use a somatic approach in my practice to connect the head and the body . I use this to assist people experiencing trauma.