MICHAEL BRICKER
MY BACKGROUND & APPROACH
Dr. Bricker has been providing professional counseling services to individuals, groups, and couples for over 20 years. He earned his Masters degree in Counseling and his PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Memphis and holds licensure as a Clinical Psychologist (LCP) in the state of Illinois. In addition to his education and training in traditional psychotherapy approaches, Dr. Bricker has sought out specialized education and training in the practice of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), a scientifically-supported psychotherapy approach for individuals and couples.
Dr. Bricker is also an active lecturer and trainer on EFT and the adaptive use of emotion, and enjoys educating other mental health professionals in this area. Dr. Bricker also has extensive education and experience in providing services to couples (working from an Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy framework). In addition, he has extensive education, training and experience working with individuals with addictions and substance use/abuse concerns.
MY PERSONAL BELIEFS & INTERESTS
I believe each of us is hard-wired with emotions that play an important role in how we understand our world and how we function internally, as well as in our relationships with others. When used adaptively, our emotions can serve to alert and orient us to what is important in our lives and can help inform how we cope with challenges and conflict. In contrast, when we feel stuck in our emotions, lack awareness of them, or are unable to express our feelings and needs, we can feel depressed, anxious or generally unhappy in our life, relationships, and/or career. This lack of clarity can also leave us feeling stranded; struggling to make sense of why we are feeling the way we do or what we need to make things better.
By exploring underlying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the context of a warm and empathic relationship, I assist individuals in learning how to use their emotional experience as a guide in recognizing, both generally and specifically, what they need from themselves and from others in order to feel content and resilient. This awareness also plays an integral role in helping them choose behaviors that are more satisfying and accommodating of their needs. In addition, I aim to help clients solidify a long-term framework for understanding how they organize themselves and make sense of their world and relationships, while helping to ensure that they have the tools needed to achieve consistent and lasting improvements in their lives well after therapy has ended.
Although Dr. Bricker’s varied clinical experiences in hospitals, mental health centers, outpatient clinics and counseling centers have prepared him to work with individuals and couples from diverse racial/ethnic/cultural backgrounds, and with wide-ranging concerns/diagnoses, he has developed a particular specialty in areas including: depression, anxiety, couples/relationship concerns, LGBTQ issues, grief/loss, and concerns unique to professionals in various domains who are navigating important roles in leadership and/or demanding careers.
Outside the office, Dr. Bricker enjoys travel, cooking, attending events in the arts, physical fitness, and spending time with his family and friends.
ABOUT MY CLIENTS
Dr. Bricker spends the majority of his clinical service providing psychotherapy to individual clients and couples; however, he is experienced in, and available to offer Executive Coaching, as well as organizational and clinical consultation to businesses and individuals. In addition, he provides supervision and workshops on EFT for mental health professionals.