Michael Braxton
I’m Michael Braxton, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and I provide therapy through Providing Justice. I came into this work because I believe people deserve a space where they can tell the truth about what they have been through, what they are carrying, and who they are becoming without shame or judgment. Clinically, I work with individuals and couples experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, relationship difficulties, identity concerns, and major life transitions. My approach is compassionate, direct, trauma-informed, and grounded in evidence-based practice, while also recognizing that healing is deeply personal and cannot be reduced to a diagnosis or set of symptoms.
Healing Begins When You Feel Seen, Heard, and Truly Understood
I see therapy as both a clinical process and a human relationship. Together, we work to understand the experiences and patterns that have shaped you, identify what is no longer serving you, and develop healthier ways of coping, relating, communicating, and making decisions. My goal is not simply to help you feel better in the moment, but to help you understand yourself more deeply, heal what needs healing, and build a life that feels more authentic, connected, and intentional.
First session
Your first session is a chance for us to slow things down and begin making sense of what brought you to therapy. You do not have to know exactly what to say or have everything figured out before you arrive. We will talk about what has been happening in your life, what feels most difficult right now, and what you hope will be different as a result of therapy. Just as importantly, I want you to feel heard, respected, and comfortable being yourself. We will begin identifying patterns, experiences, relationships, or concerns that may be affecting you and start developing a clearer understanding of where we can go from here. My goal is for you to leave your first session feeling that someone truly listened, that there is a direction for our work together, and that whatever brought you into therapy is something we can begin working through—one step at a time.
Strengths
One of my greatest strengths is creating a space where clients feel both supported and challenged. I bring warmth, empathy, clinical insight, and directness into the room, and I am not afraid to help clients look honestly at patterns that may be painful, uncomfortable, or difficult to recognize on their own. My approach is trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in evidence-based practice, but I also believe therapy has to feel human. I listen closely not only to what clients say, but also to the patterns, emotions, beliefs, and experiences underneath their words. I help clients connect the dots between their past experiences, current relationships, coping strategies, and the choices they are making today. What makes my approach different is that I do not believe in simply sitting back and asking, “How does that make you feel?” week after week. I am engaged in the process. I ask meaningful questions, offer clinical perspective, provide practical tools, and help clients develop greater self-awareness while still honoring their autonomy and lived experience. My goal is for clients to feel deeply understood while also gaining the clarity, skills, and confidence needed to create real and lasting change.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who may feel overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected, or tired of repeating the same patterns and is ready to understand what is happening beneath the surface. You may be navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, addiction, grief, major life transitions, or simply feeling like you have lost touch with yourself. You do not have to come to therapy with everything figured out. You may not even know exactly what needs to change yet. What matters most is a willingness to be honest, curious, and open to looking at your experiences in a new way. I work best with clients who want more than temporary relief. They want to understand themselves more deeply, heal from what has shaped them, improve their relationships, develop healthier ways of coping, and create meaningful change that lasts. My role is to meet you where you are, help you make sense of your story, and support you as you move toward the life you want to live.
Origin story
I was drawn to becoming a therapist because I have always believed in the importance of helping people feel seen, heard, and understood. Over the years, I have witnessed how life experiences, relationships, trauma, addiction, and difficult transitions can shape the way people see themselves and the world around them. What inspired me most was the opportunity to help people move beyond simply surviving difficult experiences and begin creating healthier, more fulfilling lives. I value being able to provide a space where clients can be honest, explore what is really happening beneath the surface, recognize patterns that may be holding them back, and develop practical tools for meaningful change. For me, therapy is not about judging people or telling them how to live their lives. It is about walking alongside them, helping them better understand themselves, recognize their strengths, and make choices that align with the life and relationships they want to build. Seeing clients gain clarity, confidence, healing, and a renewed sense of hope continues to remind me why I chose this profession.
Ongoing work together
Our work together will be collaborative, honest, and focused on meaningful change. We will continue looking beneath the surface to better understand the patterns, experiences, beliefs, relationships, and emotions that may be influencing how you feel and how you respond to life. Therapy will not only be about talking through problems. We will also work on developing insight, strengthening coping skills, improving communication, setting healthier boundaries, and creating new ways of responding to situations that may have once felt overwhelming or automatic. You will know you are making progress when you begin to notice changes not only in how you feel, but in how you think, respond, communicate, and make decisions. Progress may look like recognizing a pattern sooner, reacting differently during conflict, feeling more confident setting a boundary, becoming less controlled by past experiences, or simply feeling more like yourself again. We will regularly check in on what is changing, what still feels difficult, and what needs more attention. The goal is not perfection. The goal is for you to develop greater clarity, confidence, emotional freedom, and the ability to navigate your life in a healthier and more intentional way.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I help clients identify negative thoughts that fuel anxiety, then teach them to challenge those thoughts and develop healthier coping mechanisms. This can break the cycle of unhelpful thinking and emotional distress.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational interviewing empowers clients by exploring their own desires for change. I listen attentively and reflect back the client's motivations, helping them build their own commitment to positive behavior shifts.
Attachment-based
I work to build a safe and trusting relationship with the client. This strong bond helps the client explore past attachment experiences and develop healthier patterns for future relationships.
Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed care prioritizes safety and understanding for clients who may have experienced trauma. This approach creates a supportive environment where clients feel empowered to heal at their own pace, fostering trust and reducing the risk of re-traumatization.
EMDR
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of training and experience in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. In my practice, I use EMDR to help clients process and heal from traumatic experiences, distressing memories, and negative beliefs that can impact daily life. EMDR is a highly effective, evidence-based approach that allows individuals to reprocess painful events in a safe and supportive environment, leading to relief from symptoms and the ability to move forward with greater resilience. I integrate EMDR into treatment in a way that is tailored to each client’s unique needs, empowering them to reduce emotional distress, shift unhelpful thought patterns, and create healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.
Location
Virtual sessions