Mikel Wallschlaeger

"Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going." I'm an LPCC with 17 years of clinical experience, and I offer telehealth therapy to adults throughout Ohio. I specialize in anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, men's mental health, PTSD, and life transitions — but most of the people I work with don't arrive with a clean diagnosis. They arrive feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like they've been managing too much for too long.I work with adults and seniors who are done feeling like they have to figure everything out alone. My approach is direct and warm — I'm not going to sit in silence waiting for you to lead. We work together. I use DBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based techniques, but in practice that means building skills that actually fit your life, not homework from a textbook.I'm particularly well-suited to working with men who've been skeptical about therapy, adults navigating ADHD later in life, and anyone carrying grief they haven't had space to process. I offer a free 15-minute consultation before your first session so you can decide if we're a good fit.

My approach to therapy is grounded in the belief that change is possible, but it's built on more than just talking about your problems — it requires real tools, real honesty, and a therapist willing to meet you where you are without letting you stay stuck there.I draw primarily from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). What that means in practice: I help you understand what's driving your patterns, build concrete coping skills for the hard moments, and start making choices that are actually aligned with the life you want — not just the one you're reacting to.I tend to be energetic and direct in sessions. I ask real questions. I'll challenge you when I think you're playing it safe, and I'll support you fully when you're doing the hard work. Therapy with me feels like a real conversation between two adults — not a clinical exercise.

I'm going to be honest with you about what the first session actually looks like: it's a little uncomfortable for most people, and that's fine. You're talking to someone you just met about things you probably haven't said out loud to many people. I don't try to fast-forward past that.

What I do is ask specific questions — not 'how does that make you feel,' but things like what's been happening at work, what the last bad week actually looked like, whether this has come up before or feels new. After 17 years, I've gotten good at finding the patterns quickly, and I'll usually share what I'm noticing in real time rather than waiting until session five to say something useful.

By the time we wrap up, you'll know whether this is going somewhere. I won't oversell it. If I think we're a good match, I'll say so and tell you why. If I think someone else would serve you better, I'll tell you that too — and point you somewhere specific. That's what the free 15-minute consult before your first session is for: to answer your actual questions so you're not walking in blind.