Michael Misterka , MD, LCSW-C

Michael Misterka (MD, LCSW-C) helps people make practical, meaningful changes that reduce suffering and increase life satisfaction. With a combined medical and social work background - MD indicates Doctor of Medicine and LCSW-C indicates a licensed clinical social worker - he blends clinical insight with a focus on real-world outcomes. He draws on developmental, psychodynamic, cognitive, reality, and experiential practices to tailor interventions to each person’s history and goals.

His work centers on a client-focused approach that prioritizes the individual’s motivations and choices. He encourages open discussion about therapeutic strategies and supports clients in deciding what they want to achieve from therapy. He positions himself as a collaborative partner who accompanies people as they pursue those goals.

Across fifteen years of counseling practice, his experience has emphasized relationship conflict, trauma and abuse, parenting and family issues, substance-affected families, incarceration and reentry, and combat veterans’ readjustment to civilian life. He also addresses anxiety, depression, anger management, coping with life changes, stress, addictions, intimacy and self-esteem concerns, career challenges, ADHD, and related issues. His approach is practical and relational, aiming to help individuals and families find paths forward that fit their values and circumstances.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationship patterns shape present-day connections. It explores attachment styles to help people understand recurring difficulties with intimacy, trust, and family dynamics, and is often helpful for relationship and attachment issues.

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) works with emotions as a gateway to change. By identifying and reshaping emotional responses in relationships, EFT can help reduce patterns of conflict and deepen emotional connection in couples and close relationships.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the client’s own perspective and goals. It supports self-directed change through empathetic listening and collaboration, making it well suited for concerns like stress, life transitions, self-esteem, and coping with change.

Choosing the best approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Michael Misterka and other licensed professionals will work collaboratively with clients to identify which methods fit a person’s needs, goals, and preferences, and adjust the plan over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone conversations, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, fit therapy into busy schedules, and access support from different locations, while allowing therapists and clients to focus on meaningful progress together.