- Relationship work
- Parenting support
- Addiction focus
About Michael
Michael Michnya is an LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey with 39 years of clinical experience. He works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family concerns, parenting challenges, grief, trauma and abuse, career issues, ADHD, life purpose and related struggles.
He began his helping work in 1980 as a preschool teacher and moved into counseling in the early 1980s. He spent several years supporting teenagers in long-term substance-abuse rehabilitation and then led family-adolescent alcohol programs that provided individual, group and family counseling. From 1990 to 2014 he managed programs and supervised in-home counselors working with at-risk families and juvenile diversion programs.
After that period he built a private practice while continuing to provide counseling in a short-term rehab for adults with addictive disease, a community agency and a federally qualified health center. His background includes roles as teacher, counselor, coach, program manager and clinical supervisor, giving him long experience with parenting, blended-family issues, communication problems and addiction-related work.
In sessions he places practical effort on honest communication and consistent work between meetings. He looks for clients who expect change to take patience and persistence and who are willing to try creative approaches and do assigned work. He describes his approach as using creativity, optimism and research-informed methods to help clients make sustainable changes in relationships and daily life.
People seeking help for relationship strain, parenting challenges, addiction recovery, coping with life changes or exploring life purpose may find his experience relevant. He offers therapy in English from his New Jersey practice and is credentialed as an LPC in New Jersey.
How his therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a collaborative relationship so clients feel heard and can identify their own next steps. This approach helps when someone is unsure what they want or needs support making decisions.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors interact. It uses practical exercises and homework to reduce anxiety, change unhelpful patterns, and address sleep or anger problems.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps people name and shift difficult emotions in relationships. It can be useful for couples and for individuals working on intimacy and communication concerns.
Choosing an approach is part of the work together. The therapist will help clients decide which methods fit best based on their goals, needs and preferences, and will adjust the plan as progress is reviewed. That collaboration helps make sessions feel relevant and focused.
Confirm the current session formats before booking since the biography does not list them. Online options can make it easier to fit therapy into a weekday break, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Talk with the therapist about how to structure sessions so they align with daily routines and practical constraints.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
39+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does he address?
He works with stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship and family issues, parenting, grief, trauma, depression, ADHD, life purpose and related areas.
How would he describe his therapeutic style?
He emphasizes honest communication, creativity and homework between sessions, combining client-centered work with practical, research-informed methods.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 39 years of experience, beginning in 1980 with teaching and moving into counseling and program management roles since the early 1980s.
What are his credentials and where does he practice?
He is an LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor, credentialed in New Jersey, and practices in New Jersey.
Can I work with him if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and he is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as format details are not specified in the biography.
How does payment or cost work?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.