Hello, I'm Michael and I'm here to guide you out of the dark tunnel you likely feel trapped in. I know this, because I have been there myself. I spent many years wondering around in the dark, haunted by anxiety, fear, and shame. But with help from therapy, I made it out of that tunnel, and that's why I know that you can do it too. While I can't do the work for you, I will show you exactly how to do it. I strive to help all my clients reach a place where they can feel happy, healthy, and strong, and to realize that they can push through and navigate even the toughest curveballs life throws at them.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session, I will go over some basics of therapy with you, including confidentiality and your rights as a client. I'll also ask you to tell me a little bit about what brings you to therapy and what you would like to work on, and we will likely go over any assessments you filled out before our session. Finally, I'll go over the type of therapy that I think would be most useful in helping you achieve your goals, and teach you a little bit about what that therapy looks like.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I will always be my authentic self with you! I'm not going to pretend to be an unfeeling robot. I'm not ashamed to be honest about my own struggles with anxiety and what I have learned along my own journey. As a therapist, I never want my clients to come to sessions and feel ashamed, alone, or like nobody understands or accepts them. Shame is at the root of so many of our most painful issues, and I am very good at helping my clients find their courage to turn shame into strength. I also love to use my creativity in therapy. My colleagues often comment on how unique some of my ideas tend to be, for example with designing exposures in ERP (exposure with response prevention), or how I conceptualize cases.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
If you suffer from OCD, BDD/body image issues, social or generalized anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, or just a general feeling of dissatisfaction with your life, I would feel very confident in helping you overcome your burdens and find happiness again. I can also help you navigate the relationships in your life and help you grow as an assertive communicator.
About Michael Metz
Specializes in
Licensed in
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Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
I have 3 years of experience utilizing ERP to treat OCD and other anxiety disorders. During these 3 years, I received training and supervision from one of California's most experienced ERP therapists. I have worked with many clients in outpatient and IOP settings, carefully crafting each client's treatment plan to fit their personal needs and goals. I feel very confident utilizing ERP to help my clients with their anxiety issues. Lastly, I love using ERP in therapy both because it allows me and my clients to flex our creative muscles, and because it is extremely effective in most cases.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I think of ACT as the sister to ERP. ACT can be used to enhance the benefits of ERP, and/or to help clients push through difficulties and challenges during therapy. Unlike ERP, ACT can also be very effective in treating non-anxiety based disorders and more general life transitions and difficulties. I like to use ACT alongside ERP to help my clients get the most out of therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Most of my training would fall under the umbrella of CBT. While I incorporate other treatment modalities and therapeutic orientations, I have found CBT to be the most effective in obtaining observable results and helping clients move forward in life, rather than staying mired in the past. I have used various CBT protocols, and I find these particularly helpful in treating BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder). Having said that, I am not averse to delving into the past or using non-CBT centered approaches. It depends what your treatment goals are and what you want to discuss in each session.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Because I specialize in anxiety disorders, I have helped several clients with PTSD. While Prolonged Exposure can be a scary and difficult experience for clients, I have found this process to be so incredibly powerful and transformative. It is like night and day, seeing a client before and after this type of therapy.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness is such an important part of therapy, just as it is an important part of life. It can be an incredibly powerful tool for any client to have backing them up during their therapeutic journey. That's why I incorporate mindfulness-based practice and exercises into treatment for most of my clients. This could look like anything from a 5 minute guided meditation, to mindful eating/walking, to yoga, etc... There's too many possibilities to name them all!