Pridemind is user-supported. If you buy through a link on the site, we earn a commission from BetterHelp at no cost to you. Learn More

Michael Brennan, LCSW

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

Michael is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

5.0 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Michael. View 31 reviews
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Nevada

Recent reviews

Michael is such a free spirit, and extremely calming to talk to. Even buddha hates Michael

Reviewed November 2024

Very friendly, humble, professional, safe and easy to talk to. He cares about you and your well-being above all and makes it his priority to make sure you're getting the best help you can. Amazing therapist

Reviewed August 2024

More about Michael

  • 6 years' experience
  • Male
  • LCSW

About Me

I’m committed to the art of living, and to living what the ancient philosophers called the good life. I believe we all have the capacity to live the good life, or a meaningful life. My goal as a therapist is to help individuals locate and cultivate their personal meaning.

Meaning can be found in both joy and suffering. I practice holding a perspective that allows me to accept and appreciate what is—all of it—without judgement. I’m learning to embrace what Ram Dass calls the horrible beauty—that is, the horror and beauty in all of life.

My work as a therapist consistently brings me face to face with undeniable pain and suffering. Equally undeniable is the absolute beauty that I’m witness to on a regular basis. To ignore the suffering is negligence, and to disregard the beauty is reckless.

Who I Serve

I serve youth in foster care, teens in the juvenile justice system, individuals in recovery, couples in crisis, families in distress, teens finding their way, identity crisis/spiritual emergency, Veterans, individuals in hospice, as well as those journeying with depression/sadness, suicidal ideation, anxiety/fear, grief, PTSD, and inner voices. I also work with creatives who feel stuck.

I’m particularly sensitive to individuals who have a history in the psychiatric/psychotherapy system, and who feel like they’ve been wronged. I’ll not defend “the system”; instead, I’ll help you articulate, explore, and move through your grievances.

My Style

Through my therapy experience, I’ve found that relationships are central to mental/holisitic health. Healthy social connections produce wholesome people and communities, while social disconnection is at the root of most suffering. We’re evolutionarily and neurologically wired to connect—to ourselves, to one another, and to our surroundings.

While I am neither healer nor savior, I am committed to helping individuals navigate their own healing journeys. Through the use of co-regulation, empathy, curiosity, deep listening, the “here and now”, mind-body awareness, flow, and spontaneity, I develop synergistic relationships with my clients. A positive therapeutic relationship is the basis for good outcomes.

And, as a bona fide community social worker, I take special interest in power dynamics and their impact on individual and community well-being. While I strongly believe in an individual’s capacity to overcome against all odds, I’m not blind to the harsh realities of systemic oppressions, and how the loss personal agency leads to inner turmoil.

Specialties

Stress Anxiety Addictions Relationship issues Family conflicts Depression LGBT Trauma and abuse Grief Intimacy-related issues Sleeping disorders Parenting issues Anger management Self esteem Career difficulties Bipolar disorder Coping with life changes Coaching Compassion fatigue ADHD Abandonment Adoption and foster care Antisocial personality Attachment issues Autism and Asperger Syndrome Avoidant personality Blended family issues Body image Cancer Caregiver issues and stress Chronic pain, illness, and disability Co-morbidity Codependency Communication problems Control issues Dependent personality Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) Dissociation Divorce and separation Domestic violence Drug and alcohol addiction Emptiness Family of origin issues Family problems Fatherhood issues First responder issues Forgiveness Guilt and shame HIV / AIDS Hoarding Hospice and end-of-life counseling Immigration issues Impulsivity Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Men's issues Midlife crisis Veteran and Armed Forces Issues Money and financial issues Mood disorders Multicultural concerns Narcissism Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks Paranoia Personality disorders Phobias Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships Post-traumatic stress Pregnancy and childbirth Prejudice and discrimination Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling) Self-harm Self-love Sex addiction Sexual assault and abuse Sexual dysfunction Sexuality Social anxiety and phobia Somatization Traumatic brain injury Workplace issues Young adult issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Attachment-Based Therapy
  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Existential Therapy
  • Jungian Therapy
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Somatic Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Therapy
  • Internal Family Systems

Licenses

Michael Brennan's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1629407416.

  • LCSW · Nevada · 8891-C · Expires August 2025

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling, also known as teletherapy, is a method of delivering mental health services through digital means such as video conferencing, phone calls, or messaging platforms. It can be an ideal option for individuals who have difficulty accessing traditional therapy due to geographical distance, time constraints, or personal preferences like privacy and comfort. Many people find it easier to open up from the familiarity of their own space.

Teletherapy has been found to be highly effective, with studies showing that it can produce similar outcomes to in-person therapy, particularly for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The flexibility and accessibility it offers make it a valuable alternative to conventional therapy settings.

Reviews for Michael Brennan

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

5.0

31 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Amazing Comfortable Great Recommend Helpful Understanding Thank you Helped Listens Supportive

Michael is such a free spirit, and extremely calming to talk to. Even buddha hates Michael

Reviewed November 2024

Very friendly, humble, professional, safe and easy to talk to. He cares about you and your well-being above all and makes it his priority to make sure you're getting the best help you can. Amazing therapist

Reviewed August 2024

Michael has been highly supportive of my personal journey. I've experienced remarkable progress in the eight months I've been seeing Michael. Seeing him on a weekly basis has helped me to stay consistent with creating new healthy habits such as daily exercise and meditation, among others. These, in turn, have helped me become a better, happier and healthier person. Michael has helped me with his suggestions, his listening and his caring. He understands that the world-at-large creates inherent problems with which I must deal. I highly recommend his holistic approach to mental health care!

Reviewed August 2024

Michael has been phenomenal, I very much enjoy our sessions and how he asks me questions and helps me take into account all factors of a situation. very kind and understanding. my favourite :)

Reviewed June 2024

Michael is an amazing therapist!! I can’t wait to speak with him every week. He gives me suggestions on different approaches to handling decision in my daily life!

Reviewed May 2024

I love his approach. Definitely a breath of fresh air compared to other therapists I’ve talked to in the past.

Reviewed April 2024

I find Michael Brennan to be a very caring therapist.

Reviewed April 2024

Michael Brennan is the kind of therapist that you want in your corner. He listens, supports, encourages, and validates you like a friend and a kindred spirit. He makes you feel relaxed, confident , and comfortable about sharing your true thoughts, questions, struggles and experiences. You will never feel looked down on, pressured, judged or scolded by him. His therapy methods along with his kindness, honesty and positivity are very helpful, healing and motivating. I’m so thankful for his support and help navigating through the painful things in my past/present and the all big feelings that I’m experiencing.

Reviewed February 2024

Michael is a wonderful therapist

Reviewed January 2024

Michael is excellent logistically and professionally. Responds quickly and thoughtfully outside of session, and provides relevant and thoughtful advice and guidance during session. He also has a seemingly endless memory of relevant papers, works, or quotes pertaining to psychology. Best therapist I’ve had.

Reviewed January 2024

Michael is amazing!! He listens, he responds in a constructive but positive way. Im so glad my first counselor didn’t work out, everything happens got a reason!

Reviewed January 2024

Michael has an untraditional approach to therapy that leans into fluid, organic conversation versus a structured framework. While I always enjoy our sessions, I wondered recently if that approach would align with my therapy goals – 6 sessions in and everything came full circle to my original intention, with so much unexpected growth along the way! I always feel heard and encouraged and always feel respected and uplifted from our sessions. I would recommend him to anyone, with the caveat of being open minded!

Reviewed December 2023

Best therapist I’ve ever had! He gives me new perspective and helps me to rethink the problems I have. I enjoy every session and am very thankful to have matched with him as my therapist!

Reviewed November 2023

Michael Brennan is truly the best counselor I’ve ever encountered. He is very gentle, kind, empathetic and personable. He listens very well. His counseling is very genuine and I feel so safe in my sessions with him and I’m able to be my real genuine human self with him which is so important to me because then I’m able to actually relax, learn, grow and heal. I highly recommend him.

Reviewed November 2023

Michael is a considerate and “more human” therapist. Meaning, he doesn’t look at the clock, he doesn’t care to tell you some cliched advice, and he leads without judgment. He was incredibly good at listening and also providing deeper insight while also allowing space for me to lead the conversation and adapt throughout the conversation. I would highly recommend him if you appreciate a more tailored and realist approach. Thank you Michael!

Reviewed November 2023

He's an incredibly insightful and kind person who's good at both listening and helping to guide you through your issues. He will help you pull out what you need to talk about, and then listen while you do so.

Reviewed September 2023

Michael is a great therapist, he is very understanding of a lot of issues and concerns in your life, he is humble and relatable, and I find myself digging deeper into my own feelings with the help of Michael.

Reviewed August 2023

Great listener. Open, Toughtfull, Has a great discernement of when to talk and when not to. the whole discussion feels more and more adapted to myself, and I feel like i have to do the heavy lifting, which makes me trust the process so much more, thanks a lot!

Reviewed June 2023

Extremely open minded and willing to take the time to listen and exploring different perspectives.

Reviewed May 2023

Michael Brennan is excellent therapist! He has always been very supportive and kind. Offers great advice and always is a willing ear to listen to me

Reviewed March 2023

Michael is awesome and I always look forward to my sessions with him. Highly recommend him to others.

Reviewed March 2023

Michael has been absolutely amazing. I never felt like his my therapist. I always felt like his my friend that I’m completely comfortable opening up with. I usually struggle on opening up with strangers, but he makes me feel comfortable in every conversation. He has an amazing skill of understanding every deep issue and finding a solution that can help me understand how I need to heal mentally. He takes his notes very seriously with everything I say to him and he connects the line to where it all came from. I am very grateful for him for helping me heal and have me feel like myself again. Thank you again Michael for being so patient with me especially during my pregnancy depression days. I know I can always go back and be comfortable to open up when I need you again.

Reviewed March 2023

Love how when we first met, he set the tone and asked how I liked the conversations to go. Every meeting since went casually, smoothly, and most important to me, organically. Golden nuggets would just drop throughout the conversations because Michael is a great listener and would stop and ask questions

Reviewed April 2023

Michael was very helpful and insightful. He was straightforward and direct. I liked that and needed a push. He provided that and more to me.

Reviewed January 2023

If you’re on the journey to tap into your soul & do the work, Michael is the perfect therapist for you.

Reviewed December 2022

I really like Michael since our first meeting and it has been such an amazing and helpful experience for me. Every week I cant wait to have my meeting with him !! Thank you Michael from the bottom of my heart !!

Reviewed December 2022

He's attentive and very helpful in allowing the conversation to just flow and move naturally.

Reviewed November 2022

Michael is very patient and grounded. He asks the questions to give the self reflection that is what I wanted in therapy. He is supportive and goes above and beyond to give the help many of us so badly need. I am thankful to be partnered with him and will stay committed to working on myself without feeling hopeless that no one understands because of him.

Reviewed November 2022

Michael was extremely helpful and made me feel comfortable in therapy.

Reviewed September 2022

I’ve had but two sessions with this man and I’ve already had a great weight off my mind and soul it’s been the absolute best and most honest conversation I’ve had in so long that I cannot recall the last comparable to date and I would recommend this Dr to anyone who needed help of any kind a very versatile and professional man I’ve been made to challenge myself to complete honesty within myself and I cannot express the gratitude I have for being paired with this Dr that ends up more as teacher of yourself and a friend that lets you open up as you quickly get comfortable and confident in his skills Thank you is not enough but for a lack of the language required to show thanks that is all I can say

Reviewed August 2022

Michael is extremely open and very understanding, very excited for our journey together

Reviewed April 2022

How was your experience with Michael?

Frequently asked questions

Does Michael Brennan offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Michael Brennan works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does Michael Brennan speak?

Michael Brennan speaks English.

How many years of experience does Michael Brennan have?

Michael Brennan has 6 years of experience.

Where is Michael Brennan licensed to practice?

Michael Brennan is licensed to practice in Nevada.

Does Michael Brennan accept clients outside of the United States?

Yes, Michael Brennan accepts clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does Michael Brennan offer?

Michael Brennan offers clients Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, and Internal Family Systems.

How can I communicate with Michael Brennan?

Michael Brennan can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with Michael Brennan?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

And recovery is possible.

Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video

When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.