Michael Shaughnessy, LMHC

Michael Shaughnessy brings 39 years of clinical experience to his work, combining a long-standing commitment to therapeutic care with a down-to-earth, personable style. He enjoys tennis, running, college football, his work, and his wife - not necessarily in that order - and draws on decades of professional and life experience when supporting people through difficult seasons.

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida, Michael has practiced in a variety of settings, including inpatient treatment programs for substance use, co-dependency, and eating disorders, as well as in both group and solo private practice. Over the years he has assisted people coping with depression, anxiety, trauma from distressing life events, and those who feel a bit lost or uncertain about their next steps. He has helped numerous couples work to save or improve their relationships.

Michael’s approach is eclectic with a strong experiential emphasis, grounded in acceptance of self and others. He often weaves humor into sessions and describes himself as tenacious - he does not give up easily on the people he sees. He is both compassionate and competent when supporting individuals through pain, loss, and life transitions, and he frequently shares personal stories and lessons learned to normalize struggles and illustrate pathways forward.

In therapy he works collaboratively to identify where a person may be stuck, and at times helps clients explore the balance between their internal parent, adult, and child selves to reduce the distress that brought them to seek help.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Options for Care

Michael practices from client-centered and existential perspectives. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the therapist offers empathy and acceptance while helping the client explore feelings and values - it is useful for anxiety, relationship concerns, and many life transitions. Existential Therapy invites exploration of meaning, freedom, responsibility, and personal choice, helping people navigate grief, questions about purpose, or major life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and is determined collaboratively. Michael will work with each person to assess goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, adapting methods as progress unfolds so therapy aligns with the client’s needs.

Online therapy delivers these approaches through flexible formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - making it easier to schedule sessions and maintain continuity of care during busy or changing routines. For many people, these options increase accessibility and allow therapy to fit more naturally into everyday life while preserving the collaborative relationship with a licensed professional.