Michael Gallese, LPCC

Michael Gallese is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) practicing in California with 10 years of experience in behavioral health. He works with adults on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and self-esteem concerns, with additional focus on codependency, attachment and family of origin issues.

He draws on a background as a behavioral health technician, case manager, and substance abuse counselor. That practical experience informs how he talks about struggles - in concrete terms rather than only on paper. Sessions move toward understanding the patterns that keep people stuck and then practicing different ways of responding.

His style is direct and collaborative. Conversations include clear feedback and suggested exercises to try between sessions. He prioritizes steps people can take in everyday life to change how they relate to others and to themselves.

Michael often works with people who felt therapy didn’t help before or who are skeptical it can work. He asks straightforward questions about relationships, boundaries, and emotional responses to help identify what maintains a problem. From there he and the client pick practical strategies to test out.

Over time he helps clients notice their automatic responses, try alternative behaviors, and evaluate what changes. He explains ideas plainly and assigns doable practice tasks. The goal is to give people tools to reduce overwhelm, grow stronger boundaries, and make clearer choices about relationships and substance use.

How his methods translate to online work