Max Schimmel, LPC

Max Schimmel is an LPC with more than 22 years of experience helping people through difficult life moments. He focuses on practical steps people can try now to reduce stress, manage anxiety, and improve self-esteem. He talks with clients about everyday thoughts and habits that get in the way of change and works with them to set clear, achievable goals.

Max aims to meet each person where they are. He begins by assessing readiness for change and then helps plan small, steady steps toward the results the person wants. When someone is not yet ready to act, he supports building motivation and a sense of urgency so progress becomes possible.

He has experience with depression, anger, relationship problems, and many forms of anxiety, including panic and social anxiety. He also helps people dealing with grief, trauma, attachment challenges, codependency, and substance use concerns. Max lists additional focus areas such as abandonment wounds, blended family issues, caregiver stress, eating concerns, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.

Max has worked with men in midlife transitions, military veterans, people in non-traditional relationships, and neurodivergent individuals including those with autism. He emphasizes listening without judgment and collaborating on practical strategies rather than quick fixes.

The aim in sessions is to translate insights into everyday habits that make life feel more manageable. Max guides people from intake through discharge, adjusting the plan as goals shift and new needs appear.

How evidence-based techniques guide online work

Many of the approaches Max uses are evidence-based techniques that focus on changing unhelpful thoughts and building new everyday habits. Cognitive approaches look at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teach ways to challenge patterns that fuel anxiety or low mood. Behavioral strategies focus on small, repeated actions - like activity scheduling or stepwise exposure - that help reduce avoidance and build confidence.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss options and try out techniques based on a client's goals, needs, and preferences. This collaborative process helps tailor strategies to what actually fits someone’s life and pace.

Because session formats are not specified in the profile, confirm current options before booking. Online work can still make it easier to fit therapy into daily life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when needed, and making it simpler to schedule sessions around work or caregiving. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework to suit remote sessions so the focus stays on practical changes in thoughts and habits.