Matt McCullough (He/His, They/Their)

I meet you where you're at. My personal philosophy is centered around harm reduction principles where the focus is on your goals. People have diverse reasons for using, and for changing their use. I respect your autonomy while offering support and skills. I've worked in an outpatient addiction recovery program for the past 3 years, and previously worked in a gambling addiction treatment program for 3 years. I am knowledgeable on both chemical and process addictions (gambling, etc).

I offer instruction in using mindfulness and somatic techniques to help create room around anxiety to allow for greater flexibility in one's life. I have extensive knowledge of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is a modern approach to getting back to a life worth living so that anxiety no longer runs the show.

I offer secular counseling for people experiencing questions around religious belief, loss of faith, or searching for sense of meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. I help those who are looking to heal from religious trauma, looking to rebuild their sense of self, and help create a new path from this new identity. I also strive to create a space for those who are questioning aspects of their beliefs that no longer feel true but still wish to maintain their spiritual and religious traditions.

With a background working in outpatient addiction treatment, I have extensive experience in working with your reasons for wanting to make changes in your life, and enhancing your motivation towards that change.

My approach to counseling centers around identifying the things that matter the most to you and the strengths and abilities you’ve used to survive in this life so far, creating a safe space to look more closely at the difficult areas of life that don’t appear to have easy answers. I see therapy as a healing and creative process, where my training and knowledge act as a mirror to help you unlock your own expertise on yourself.

ACT is considered by many to be the logical progression from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as it incorporates awareness of thinking errors. What makes ACT special is that it doesn't require us to challenge our way of thinking, but instead to focus on what's most important, and to make steps in that direction, despite whatever our mind might be saying. I've seen ACT help many people become better able to handle what life throws at them.