Michael D. Nelson, CMHC

05/22/2025

FROM A MOVIE-LOVING THERAPIST

Live-action Lilo & Stitch is coming—and like many fans, I’m hopeful it keeps the heart that made the original so special.

While we wait, I made a little video love letter to the original—about family, connection, and the courage it takes to be vulnerable.

Take a couple minutes to check it out—it’s in the comments 💙

05/04/2025

“Happy Star Wars Day! As both a therapist and a lifelong geek, I couldn’t resist making a video that brings together the wisdom of Yoda, the journey of Luke Skywalker, and the power of facing our fears. Mental health is our real-life hero’s journey—and sometimes, the cave we fear to enter is the path to healing. 💫 Check out the video below in the comments section if you could use a little Jedi insight today.

02/10/2025

I’m honored to help facilitate this event alongside Josh Parry, Michael Patrick Jinks, Daniel Singer, and Justin Bolton 🙏

Tickets are free! Contact me to get one. Join us as we create something beautiful and new together.

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?

10/05/2024

WARNING ⚠️

Apparently there is someone out there impersonating my account/name and reaching out to people I know via messenger; do not interact with them or share any of your info with them; I can’t find their profile by searching but if they reach out to you, just report them.

They are using the name “Michael David Nelson II”.

08/12/2024

As a parent, former high-school teacher, and currently working as a therapist ,I know that the start of school can be a very stressful time for families. ��I’d like to share a principle that I think can be helpful. [I’ve put the video link in the comment section of the post].

I find the principle of “do the next right thing” very helpful when we are stressed, during times of transition (and even in heaviness of grief work).

During the next couple days remember to take a breath and not over-do it. Be gentle with yourself. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or school-age youth — Remember, you got this!

08/07/2024

What’s a coping strategy you’ve found particularly effective for managing stress or anxiety?

(Thinking about teachers, educators, and school counselors who are prepping for the new school year right now - but the question really applies to everyone, right?).*

As a mental health professional I believe in the idea of “different things for different people” but I think *hearing* ideas is a great way to find what works for us.

So, throw a tip, thought, link, resource down below that has been a game-changer for you.

*And teachers - thank you for being in the trenches with our children and youth!

08/05/2024

ATTENTION: Educators of Youth/School Teachers/School Counselors

The countdown to the start of school has commenced! 😅😃

As someone that spent years preparing lessons and working with high school students I know that sometimes it can be helpful to have little visual aids and media to add to your lesson plans. So, I wanted to share this resource I’ve created while working as a mental health therapist.

It’s a library of videos I’ve been creating where I use imagery from movies and television to teach about principles of mental health.

It includes such topics as:
* Cultivating resilience,
* mindfulness,
* stress reduction,
* and listening/communication skills.

While not every video is for everyone I’d like to invite you to check out the link below where I’ve listed these videos by topic. Take a minute to look and see if any of these videos could be helpful to you as you work with youth. I’ve even included some thought/writing prompts along the way that could be used in a class discussion.

If you are an educator and want to know more about how this resource might be incorporated into a lesson plan feel free to backchannel me.

*For teachers, educators, and group leaders to use for group discussion and/or writing prompts.How to use this resource:(1) Review the list of principles below to see what topics might complement your teaching environment. (2) When you find a principle you'd like to explore with your students scroll...

06/04/2024

Do you ever feel a little “alien” here on planet earth? Like you don’t fit in with all the other “normal” people around you?

I believe *most* of us have felt that way at some point.

In this episode we use Lilo, Stitch, and powerful insights from Brene Brown to reflect on what it means to practice the vulnerability that can lead us to a deeper sense of belonging.

Use the Linktree in my profile or copy and use the link below to watch the full video on YouTube now:

https://youtu.be/eJdEu3ao7L4

05/02/2024

Want to hear what Indiana Jones, MacGyver, James Bond and Jackie Chan all have in common?

I had the opportunity a little bit ago to be with Ryan Roberts of on his podcast ‘Fail It To Nail It’. Not only did we explore the question above but we also dove into combatting the idea of Creative Failure.

Some of the themes we discuss:

* My love of stories!
* How “Failure” is a story we tell ourselves.
* The mental health benefits of living a creative life (including the development of response flexibility!)
* How we are ALL creators!
* My venture to access a more creative spirit in my life by using on-screen examples to share principles of mental health.
* How getting to know our fears (rather than avoiding them) helps us overcome our fears.
* How we can battle creative anxiety and creative despair by reframing “failure” as learning and growth.

Check out this episode on one of your favorite podcast players!

And while you are checking out Ryan & Lindsey Robert’s Podcast you can also learn more about the great work they do at the following:

Instagram: 
Facebook: timetolevelupyourlife

03/02/2024

I was in high school when I first read Frank Herbert’s Dune. To this day I consider it one of my favorite stories.

As a young reader one of my favorite themes found in the book was how we can grow our potential through self discipline and the deliberate training of our mind and body—something I revisit daily in my work as a therapist.

This weekend as our world turns our eyes again towards the world of Arrakis—I share my reflections on what has come to be known as the ‘Litany of Fear’—mantras to manage our fear and distress.

If you are interested in the overlap of mental health in on-screen stories, feel free to check out this episode that explores our brain’s fear response from a therapy perspective.

Link down below in the comments 👇