Michael Vernon, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Chicago IL
I am committed to helping my clients find happiness and meaning, knowing that therapy can be a powerful tool in helping provide healing and connection.
I am fortunate to have a job that I really enjoy. I like meeting clients, learning deeply about their lives, and working together on their goals. My style could be described as down-to-earth, empathic, and actively engaged. I was once described by a friend as, “You’re a dude who has feelings and can talk about feelings.” Although this character trait was not so helpful when I was in junior high, it seems to have worked out OK for my profession. In addition to my traditional Western training, I have a particular interest in Buddhist psychology, which I have been studying for 30 years, including the completion of a two-year Contemplative Psychotherapy Program at Nalanda Institute. More recently I enrolled in a one-year certification program for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, which is an exciting field of practice and poised to become a mainstream tool of treatment following FDA approval.