About Michael
Michael Hurd uses a practical, solution-focused approach to help people move forward. He is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 36 years of experience. He aims to be a thinking partner who helps clients set goals and take steps toward change.
Sessions concentrate on the here-and-now. Past history and childhood are discussed when they help reach current goals. Michael looks for strengths and small successes to build on, rather than centering on labels or symptoms.
Background and approach
He works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship struggles, low self-esteem, depression, trauma and grief. He also addresses issues such as eating and sleeping problems, parenting strain, anger, career decisions, and coping with life changes. Michael combines client-centered listening with practical strategies from cognitive behavioral techniques and solution-focused methods.
He also draws on parts-work ideas from Internal Family Systems to help people understand internal conflicts and self-sabotaging patterns. Over three decades of practice, he has written books, many articles, and hosted radio and podcast programs. His goal is to guide and coach clients so they can use their strengths to solve problems and make steady progress.
He offers therapy in English and works with clients in South Carolina and beyond, including international clients. Sessions are aimed at clear goals, steady progress, and practical tools people can use every day.
Approaches for online progress and practical change
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding your perspective. The therapist offers empathy and support while you set the pace for what to talk about and which goals matter most. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, uses plain, actionable tools to spot unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that keep problems going; it can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, and coping skills. Solution-Focused Therapy narrows in on small, achievable steps and concrete goals, aiming for quick, practical movement rather than lengthy analysis.Choosing the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to match methods to current needs and preferences, trying things and adjusting as progress is made. The emphasis is on practical work together rather than one fixed method.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for in-depth conversations and visual connection, phone works well when bandwidth is limited, chat can serve for quick check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, handle shorter or longer check-ins, and choose what works best for communication style and schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does he address?
What is his style in sessions?
How long has he practiced?
What credentials and location are listed?
Which languages and international options are available?
What formats are used for sessions?
How does payment and cost work?
How do I begin working with him?
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 36 years
- Licensed
- South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Virginia
- Languages
- English