Michael S. Applegate, LCPC, ATR
I believe meaningful change happens when a therapeutic alliance is built on trust, compassion, and collaboration. Healing is not a one-size-fits-all process, rather therapy should honor each person’s unique experiences, strengths, and goals.
Whether you are dealing with anxiety, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress, or life transitions, I offer a supportive environment where you can safely explore your experiences and deepen self-understanding.
As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Registered Art Therapist, I provide a unique combination of traditional evidence-based psychotherapy, clinical art therapy as well as specialized training in psychedelic integration.
My therapeutic approach is shaped by the intersection of clinical art therapy, evidence-based psychotherapy, psychedelic integration, and my time in service as a U.S. Navy veteran. Together, these experiences have shaped my understanding of resilience, allowing me to provide care that acknowledges each client’s unique story and individual journey.
I specialize in psychedelic integration, helping clients turn meaningful experiences into lasting personal growth. Psychedelic therapy can offer powerful insights, but integration is where deeper understanding and real change take root. Together, we will explore the narratives, imagery, and insights from your journey and weave them into everyday life.
Services:
Art Therapy
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Art therapy is an evidence-based mental health profession in which trained clinicians use creative expression alongside traditional psychotherapy to help clients explore thoughts, emotions, and experiences that may be difficult to express through words alone. Creating art can make internal experiences more visible, offering new perspectives, deeper self-understanding, and opportunities for healing.
No artistic skill or experience is required. The focus is on using creativity as a therapeutic tool to help navigate and process emotions in order to foster meaningful, lasting growth.
Psychedelic Integration
Psychedelic integration is the therapeutic process of making sense of a psychedelic experience and incorporating those insights into everyday life. Integration provides a safe, structured, nonjudgmental space to explore what emerges during your non-ordinary state of consciousness. Through art-therapy, we’ll explore the emotions, imagery, and discoveries that arise in order to transform insights into practical changes that support your mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.
While expanded states of consciousness can offer profound insight, meaningful change often emerges through intentional integration. Together, we’ll explore the emotions, imagery, and insights that arise, translating them from the canvas of your inner world into practical tools that support healing, resilience, and lasting change in everyday life.
Veterans
Long after active duty ends, military service continues to shape one’s identity, relationships, and the way you navigate the world. As a veteran, I bring both lived experience and specialized clinical training to my work with veterans and active service members, offering care that is grounded in cultural understanding, mutual respect, and genuine collaboration.
Whether you are navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, moral injury, military transition, or the challenges of returning to civilian life, my approach integrates evidence-based psychotherapy, clinical art therapy, and psychedelic preparation and integration. Together, we will honor your unique story, build on your strengths, and transform difficult experiences into meaningful healing, resilience, and lasting growth.
Professional Services
In addition to individual therapy, I offer professional consultation, educational workshops, and speaking engagements for healthcare organizations, universities, community groups, and mental health professionals. My presentations focus on educating the public about the use of psychedelic medicine for veteran mental health, trauma-informed care, and the ethical application of innovative mental health practices.
