About Michael
Michael Reina is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with 37 years of professional experience. He focuses on helping people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma, career strain, and depression.
Background and approach
Michael aims to make the first steps toward change feel less overwhelming by offering steady support and clear guidance. He creates a calm space where clients can talk about hard feelings without judgment.
Sessions are conversational and practical, with an emphasis on understanding what problems feel like day to day. Michael listens for patterns that keep people stuck and helps them try different ways of responding.
His work draws on several evidence-informed approaches. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify unhelpful thoughts and build new coping skills.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides tools for emotion regulation and distress tolerance when feelings run high. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is available for processing traumatic memories when appropriate.
Michael also integrates client-centered and Jungian ideas, paying attention to personal meaning and the therapeutic relationship. This allows treatment to be adapted to each person's goals and life story.
Over decades of practice he has helped people navigate life changes, workplace stress, panic, grief, and isolation. Sessions are available in English and conducted online through video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging.
He works collaboratively with clients to set realistic steps and to track progress over time.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship where the client's concerns guide the work. In online sessions this means conversations that follow what matters most to the client and build trust over time.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. Online CBT often includes brief skill-building exercises, written worksheets, and homework between sessions to practice new ways of responding to stress and anxiety.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional impact. Elements of EMDR can be adapted to remote formats, with the therapist guiding paced processing and stabilization techniques during video or phone sessions.
Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and the problem at hand, then suggest methods that fit. Adjustments are made as progress is tracked, so the plan can change if something isn’t working.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let the therapist and client work face to face when visual cues help. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat or text-based messaging supports people who prefer writing or want more frequent brief contact between sessions. These options help therapy fit into busy schedules and different daily routines.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Career difficulties
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 37 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English