Mike Smukler

My path into this work started with film. What drew me was people in their real moments, the hard ones, the ones that matter. In 2004 I volunteered on a suicide hotline, and I didn't want to capture those moments anymore. I wanted to help people find their way through them. That's still what I'm here for.

I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over two decades of experience across private practice, outpatient care, community mental health, and interdisciplinary teams. I've also held supervisory and leadership roles, mostly with clinicians early in their careers.

I work with adults of all backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ clients, managing anxiety, anger, overthinking, and life transitions. My approach draws on ACT, CBT, and mindfulness based practices, shaped by Taoist philosophy, Zen Buddhism, and existential psychology. I pay close attention, I don't push, and I say what I notice.

Sessions are available via telehealth, Tuesday through Saturday, across Massachusetts.

My approach draws on ACT, CBT, and mindfulness based practices, shaped by Taoist philosophy, Zen Buddhism, and existential psychology, a thread that changes how I think about change itself: less forcing, more understanding. We pay attention to patterns, and to what is actually happening underneath the surface, not just the symptom in front of us. I do not believe in fitting clients into a method. The work stays flexible: whatever is actually in front of us is what we work with. I tend to be direct, honest, and genuinely engaged.

First sessions are conversational, not clinical. We meet by video, and there is no script or checklist to get through. I will ask about what is bringing you in, some background, and what you are hoping might be different. The point is not to complete a form. It is to start getting a real sense of each other.

If you have never done therapy before, that is completely fine. Many of my clients have not. You do not need to have it figured out or know the right way to say it. I ask more than I tell, and I would rather follow what is actually on your mind than move through a predetermined agenda.

By the end, you should have a decent read on how it feels, even though it usually takes a few sessions to know for certain whether this is the right fit. Nothing more is expected of you than showing up as you are. I offer a free fifteen minute consultation. Reach out and we can start there.

You can also find me at mikesmukler.com.