Michael Ziegler , LPC, LCPC

Michael Ziegler is a Missouri-based Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) who helps people navigate difficult emotions, painful memories, and challenging life transitions. With post-graduate training in trauma-focused and cognitive-behavioral approaches, he combines proven techniques to address mood and behavioral concerns, relationship and parenting struggles, addiction and substance concerns, and other obstacles that keep people from living the life they want.

He has worked across a variety of settings, including child-focused family therapy, law enforcement and first responder support, reentry from incarceration, and intensive trauma processing for people coping with persistent traumatic memories. Michael’s foundational orientation is Reality Therapy, which emphasizes clarifying core wants and choices and then making practical adjustments in thinking and behavior to move toward those goals. He also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to reframe unhelpful thinking patterns, Dialectical Behavior Therapy to build emotional regulation and interpersonal skills, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to resolve trauma-related disturbances.

Michael tailors interventions to each person’s needs and preferences, blending these approaches to support healing, improved relationships, and renewed purpose. He approaches therapy as a collaborative process aimed at practical change and sustained growth, and he values guiding people through recovery and toward the life they envision.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Trauma and Skills Work

Michael uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help process and reduce the intensity of distressing memories - this approach guides the brain to reprocess traumatic material so it no longer disrupts daily functioning. He also applies Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to teach practical skills in emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be especially helpful for intense mood swings, relationship conflicts, and overwhelming reactions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and to develop action plans that change behavior and improve mood.

Choosing the right approach is a shared process. Michael collaborates with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, then recommends and adapts methods that fit the situation. That collaborative process helps ensure the work feels relevant and manageable.

Online therapy with Michael can take place by video call, phone session, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access regular sessions, maintain continuity of care, and integrate therapy into daily life while working toward clearer thinking, stronger coping skills, and improved relationships.