Michael McColley, M.S., LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist providing services in person and virtually in Utah. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in Family Studies from Weber State University in 2017 and with a master’s degree in Couples and Family Therapy from the University of Oregon in 2021. For the past four years Michael has focused on relational therapy, primarily with couples & families, while working in community mental health, private practice, and residential treatment centers. He specializes in working with couples and families, faith exploration/transition, and LGBTQ+ folks.
Michael believes that healing doesn’t happen in a bubble separate from others - healing and growth come through learning how to exist fully and confidently as oneself while actively engaging in meaningful relationships. Anxiety, OCD, and depression are often accompanied by thoughts such as, “Once I am/feel/look better, then I will be able to live life how I’d like.” These thoughts can steer us away from valued choices and connections and toward a life of avoidance. Michael uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), paired with ERP, to help individuals, couples, and families recognize that they can start living *now* while continuing to work on aspects of themselves they’d like to accept or change.
Warmth, understanding, and empowerment are key ingredients to Michael’s approach to therapy. He highly values learning from clients, remaining up-to-date on evidenced-based practices, and helping clients feel seen, heard, and empowered. Michael is excited to join CalmOCD and to help those who are seeking relief from life’s challenges and those who are hoping for support in that process.
Michael is a polyglot, an Ashtanga yoga practitioner and runner, and a jazz & world history aficionado. He lives in northern Utah with his beloved partner and 80+ plants.
At CalmOCD we treat individuals ages 5 and up with obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, eating disorders, panic disorder, agoraphobia, phobias, misophonia, body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), and co-occurring depression.