Michael D. Nelson, CMHC

09/24/2026

I’m excited to be presenting at FanX this Friday!

I’ll be joining my friends and fellow therapists Rod Veas and Ryan Roberts for a conversation about something I’ve loved exploring for years:

What can the stories we love teach us about mental health?

We’ll be looking at the roles of the Victim, Villain, Hero, and Guide—and how those patterns show up not just in movies and stories, but in the ways we understand ourselves, our struggles, and the people around us.

If you’re going to FanX this weekend, come join us!

📅 Friday, September 25
⏰ 2:00–3:00 PM
📍 Room 255E — Salt Palace Convention Center

And if you know someone who’ll be at FanX who might enjoy this kind of conversation, feel free to share this with them!

09/16/2026

I’ve been doing some rebuilding on my Play Therapy resources—and if you’ve checked them out before, it may be worth another look.

Over the years, I’ve created a growing collection of videos that use familiar movies and stories to explore ideas related to mental health, relationships, mindfulness, coping, and personal growth.

I recently rebuilt the Play Therapy resource library to make all of that material much easier to find and use.

You can now search the library by movie, topic, or keyword and filter resources by topics such as mindfulness, anxiety, communication, coping, relationships, emotions, resilience, self-talk, and trauma recovery.

And many of the resources include more than just the video—you’ll also find things like discussion questions, reflection prompts, activities, and additional resources for going deeper.

I originally created much of this with teachers and people who work with teens and young people in mind, but I think there are resources here that could be useful for counselors, therapists, parents, educators, and anyone who enjoys using stories to start meaningful conversations.

The whole library is free to explore.

🔎 https://nelsoncounselingservices.com/play-therapy-for-educators/

If you know someone who might find it useful, feel free to share it with them.

08/18/2026

🍎 A Back-to-School Resource for Teachers & Those Who Work With Youth

It's that time of year again!

As a new school year begins, I wanted to share a resource that may be helpful for teachers, counselors, youth leaders, and others who work with youth.

On my YouTube channel, I create short videos about mental health, mindfulness, emotional wellness, and developing a healthier relationship with our thoughts and emotions.

While the videos aren’t specifically designed as a school curriculum, several could work well as supplements to classroom lessons or discussions around health, wellness, and mindset.

Some topics include:

• Becoming a better listener
• Learning to notice our thoughts without automatically believing them
• The importance of breathing and mindfulness exercises
• Understanding and responding to anxiety
• Self-compassion and healthier self-talk
• Perfectionism, stress, and emotional resilience

The videos use scenes and characters from movies or TV to make these ideas more understandable and relatable.

If you teach or work with young people, feel free to browse the channel and use or share anything you think might be helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/

Also! If there's a mental health or mindset topic you wish someone would explain in a short, accessible way for youth or students, I'm always interested in ideas for future videos. Thanks!

05/04/2026

“What’s in there?”

Luke asks Yoda before entering the cave.

Yoda’s answer: “Only what you take with you.”

This is one of the most powerful metaphors for anxiety I’ve ever seen.

The fears we avoid often aren’t just “out there”—
they’re shaped by what we carry inside:
past experiences, beliefs, and expectations.

In therapy, we don’t eliminate fear by avoiding it.

We change our relationship to it.

As Joseph Campbell wisely observes:��

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

��

44 likes, 15 comments. "Therapist uses STAR WARS | YODA | explores FACING FEARS"

01/15/2026

Hi community! I’m excited to share that I’m officially venturing into my own private practice.

I’m truly grateful for my time at Preferred Family Clinic and for the relationships, support, and opportunities to learn and grow there. That experience has shaped me both professionally and personally in so many good ways and prepared me for new adventures ahead.

If you or someone you know is looking for counseling services, feel free to reach out or pass along my information.

Both in-person and secure telehealth options are available, and if you’d like to learn a little more about my services and counseling approach feel free to check out my website below.

https://nelsoncounselingservices.com

11/11/2024

“How did we even get here?”

As a therapist I’ve thought a lot about how ALL of us have times in our lives where we ask something similar to this question—when life feels very overwhelming.

A while back I made a video to share about a principle that is helpful to me in difficult times. It is not a ‘cure all’. But for me, it helps a little to remember the heroes in one of my favorite stories and how they demonstrated great courage and resilience in the face of terrible odds.

I’ll drop the link to the video down in the comments.

And, if something in the video resonates with you I’d be honored if you’d share it with your friends and fellow travelers.

10/10/2024

Happy Mental Health Day!

What has been one important thing for *you* that has helped improve your mental health?