Counsellor profile
Michael Spackman, PACFA
PACFA counsellor - Family and anxiety focus
Continue with MichaelAbout
- ACT and CBT
- Attachment work
- Coaching for parents
About Michael
Michael Spackman is a PACFA counsellor in Australia with eight years of professional experience. He works with adults facing stress, anxiety, grief, trauma and abuse, ADHD, depression and family concerns. He also lists LGBT issues and coaching among his areas of focus.
He prefers clear, direct conversation about what is happening at home. He helps people talk through upsetting thoughts and strong feelings. He pays attention to patterns in relationships and how past experiences shape present reactions.
His approach draws on several practical therapies. He uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice thoughts without being driven by them. He uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking and change small behaviours. Attachment-based ideas guide discussions about closeness and trust.
Sessions aim to build useful skills and clearer communication. People can expect to work on manageable steps rather than large, abstract goals. Michael often focuses on what a person can try between sessions to test changes in daily life.
He works with adults who are managing the everyday strain of parenting, tensions with relatives, and the longer effects of trauma and loss. Michael practises in English and does not take international clients. The booking process uses a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How sessions work
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without being driven by them. It focuses on values and small committed actions that fit everyday life, which can help with anxiety, stress and low mood.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It breaks problems into manageable steps and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns, useful for anxiety, depression and anger.
Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationship patterns affect current connections and trust. It helps people understand reactions in close relationships and practice different ways of relating.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and together decide which methods to use. This is a collaborative process that can change as needs do.
The profile does not specify session formats, so confirm the available online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also means practical homework and behavioural experiments can be discussed in the context of actual routines rather than only in the consulting room.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does he help with at home?
He works with stress, anxiety, grief, trauma and family-related difficulties, plus ADHD, depression and LGBT issues.
What is his therapeutic style like?
He uses practical, conversational methods drawn from ACT, CBT, DBT and attachment ideas to help people try small changes in daily life.
How much experience does he have?
He has eight years of professional experience working with adults on mental health and relationship concerns.
What credential does he hold and where is he based?
He is PACFA credentialed and practises in Australia.
Does he run sessions in other languages or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and he does not accept international clients.
What session formats are offered?
The original profile does not list specific session formats; please confirm current online session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Session cost varies with location and is billed through a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.