Dr. Carl Bastien

If you’re juggling anxiety, stress, and maybe relying on alcohol or other habits to cope—and it’s starting to affect your work, family, or relationships—you’re in the right place. Many of the people I work with are carrying more than one struggle at once: feeling low or on edge, dealing with legal or family stress, and trying to hold everything together while life feels heavier than it used to. If you’re exhausted from handling it all alone, therapy can be a place to slow down, make sense of what’s happening, and start building a realistic way forward. I’m a doctoral-level counselor offering evening telehealth therapy for teens and adults across Michigan, with a special focus on men who may not always feel comfortable opening up in other spaces.

I take a structured, practical, and goal‐oriented approach because therapy should feel useful and focused, not like you’re talking in circles. We’ll start by looking at what’s happening right now, what patterns might be keeping you stuck, and what changes you want to see in your day‐to‐day life. From there, we’ll create a plan that feels realistic and personalized to you. I often use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing to help you understand how your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and coping habits (including alcohol use) fit together, and to build tools you can use between sessions. I can be direct when it helps move things forward, while staying patient, respectful, and nonjudgmental. My goal is a space where you can be honest about where you’re at and feel supported as you work toward meaningful change—whether that’s sleeping better, feeling less on edge, or showing up more present at home and at work.

In our first session, we’ll focus on getting a clear picture of what has been weighing on you, what feels most urgent to address, and what you hope will feel different over time. There’s no pressure to share everything at once or to have the “right” words; I’ll ask thoughtful questions, listen closely, and help us identify practical next steps so you leave with more clarity than you came in with. Many clients feel relief simply from having a plan and not having to figure it all out on their own. I offer evening telehealth appointments across Michigan so therapy can fit around work, parenting, school, or other responsibilities. IIf any of this resonates, I would be glad to connect. Feel free to book a session through this page or reach out with any questions.