About Benjamin
Benjamin Strauel is a Licensed Professional Counselor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career shifts, depression, grief, relationship struggles, trauma, and trouble sleeping. He emphasizes practical change and supports clients through life transitions. Ben brings 25 years of experience to the work and focuses on strengths you can use right away.
He takes a straightforward, solution-oriented approach. Sessions aim to identify what is getting in the way, break problems into manageable steps, and build routines that reduce distress.
Background and approach
Ben uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to help people change unhelpful patterns and clarify values. His style is warm and direct. He centers each conversation on the person in front of him rather than on jargon or labels.
Ben helps people set realistic goals and notices progress as small wins that add up over time. He also draws on client-centered listening and dialectical skills when emotion regulation or intense stress is present. That combination supports both practical problem solving and handling strong feelings without becoming overwhelmed.
Ben often works with people managing chronic pain, life purpose questions, financial stress, midlife transitions, and recovery from loss. He encourages steady, doable changes and stays focused on everyday strategies that make life feel more manageable.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people clarify what matters most to them and take small actions toward those values, even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) aims to spot and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns that fuel anxiety, low mood, or sleep problems. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and building a trusting relationship so people feel understood and can explore their next steps.Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Decisions about techniques are collaborative and can be adjusted as progress is made.
Online sessions offer flexibility for busy lives. Video calls let conversations feel closer to in-person visits, phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text messaging can be used for brief check-ins or ongoing coaching between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving schedules, or medical routines while keeping the focus on practical tools and steady progress.
Questions people ask
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What this counselor works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
Also listed
- Anger management
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 25 years
- Licensed
- Michigan
- Languages
- English