Michal Neff: Founder and Program Director of Precipice Counseling

Mike Neff, in His Own Words

Become Your Best

Seeing clients and coworkers reclaim their present and lean into the possibilities of the future is what keeps me going.

Mike’s Views on Mental Health and Wellness and Other Topics

Therapeutic Journey

My approach to therapy begins with quieting the inner experiences of life, which limit our growth. Then when we understand the inner limitations, we can design a future that means something to you. To do this, I assess my clients within the Identity System and work to free clients from their sticking points. This approach is experiential, in that you experience recovery through doing, not just learning.

Medications

I am conservative towards medications. There are a lot of medications proven to help in the recovery journey and effective in managing various mental illnesses. I struggle with the idea of seven medications, where three-four of them are focused on managing the side effects of the other three. This seems counterintuitive; therefore, I have connected with multiple medication providers in the area that are conservative in regard to medications. Ultimately, this is your choice, and I support your autonomy over my beliefs on medications.

Opinions on Politics | Religion

I find it important to explore your sense of community and belonging. I don't think we have to agree politically or religiously to work together. These are two areas I prefer to keep private, as the nation is divided on these topics. However, I find it important for individuals to explore their beliefs and stances on both these topics and potentially find community within them. Research shows we tend to gain more in finding connection with others than finding division.

As a veteran, I place emphasis on individuals and the rights outlined by our Constitution. In therapy, I am focused on the rights of the person (people) sitting with me and do not engage in policy discussion or promotion of specific advocacy groups aimed towards specific political viewpoints. Therapy is about making the most of what you have and connecting with a community that serves you. There are many advocacy groups available to pursue changes in policy or politics, and we can be a resource to connect you to these groups. However, I believe therapy is about making the most out of life and current circumstances. Therefore, therapy with me is not a great place to pursue this kind of advocacy work.

Gender Identity and Sexuality

I find it important to understand matters of gender and sexuality, as well as how this impacts interpersonal, social, and economic circumstances. I view therapy as a place for you to explore yourself and grow into the truly powerful and magnificent person you are. I do not engage in therapies focused on changing sexual/gender identity. Your identity is yours, and not to be defined, created, or changed by anyone other than you.

Passion in Trauma

As a veteran who has recovered from trauma, I find this a passion of mine to assist others in their recovery. The illness of trauma is when the human mind gets stuck inside a horrible event, resulting in your mind reliving it through dreams or experiences long after the event. I have many tools and experiences to aid in the recovery journey and enjoy exploring unique applications of these tools to help those struggling with seeing results in their recovery.

Passion in Obsessive Compulsion

I find myself intrigued with the experiences of having to do something every day. We all do some things compulsively, such as which foot goes up the stairs first, or do you see your left-hand fingers when you fold your arms or not? When I see compulsive behaviors, it seems to be a similar response, but more in a way that makes daily living challenging. I love exploring options with clients and seeing how they apply techniques from our sessions. 

Couples | Family Therapy

The truth is, I initially chose to pursue couples therapy as an interest to improve my skills but didn't know what I was doing. In this journey, I have learned where my skills lie. I specialize in keeping families together!

In knowing the dynamics of relationships, I have learned to watch for the destroyers of relationships and help couples develop an understanding of these as well as apply useful skills to combat them. Then, we work on quieting the negative self-talk and partner talk that impairs our abilities to communicate and grow together. When the family members want to stay together and apply these skills, there is success in sustaining the relationship.