About Us

Making the choice to enter into therapy is an important decision. Many people believe that their problems are beyond "understanding" or have perhaps tried therapy in the past and it "just didn't work". At Cope Ahead Counseling, we look to tailor expert clinical care to your individual needs so that your experience in therapy is worthwhile and beneficial. We provide in-person and online therapy to clients in Westchester and Putnam Counties.

Hi, I’m Michael McDonald, owner of Cope Ahead Mental Health Counseling. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has spent the last 15 years working in the field of mental health. My approach to treatment is to provide a genuine, validating, positive, and authentic environment in which we can work on any issue that you may be experiencing. 

 

 

Have ever felt stuck, lost, or unsure of where you going in life? Struggled with with negative self-image, self-sabotage or self-defeating behaviors? Felt hopeless, helpless, apathetic, or more? 

 

Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.

 

 

Your struggles do not define you. Instead, we can work together to redefine what these experiences mean to you, and help you create a life worth living. I help adults and children learn to cope with the trauma of their pasts, the stressors of everyday life, and anxieties over the future.

 

My approach is based on a combination of various evidence-based therapies, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, and Humanistic/Existential Approaches. I work with you to recognize and acknowledge your existing strengths, whilst adding new skills to help you cope with the road ahead. 

 

 

Everyone needs help at one time or another. The important thing is to know that you deserve to be helped. Feel free to reach out and learn more about how I can help you become the person you deserve for yourself.

Qualifications

  • M.S., LMHC – Loyola University

Michael is currently licensed as an LMHC in New York State, and has an MS degree from Loyola University in Clinical Psychology.

 

 

  • DBT Certified – Linehan Board of Certification

Completed Foundational Training for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy from the Linehan Institute.

 

 

  • DBT Certified – Addictions 

Michael has received further training on the use of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for addiction.

Experience

Over the course of my career thus far, I have had the privilege of working in a variety of settings including in both inpatient and outpatient care at two of the top ten psychiatric hospitals in the country. 


I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive issues, mostly centered around depression, anxiety, self-esteem, Borderline Personality Disorder, self-harm, trauma, adjustment disorder, addiction, and more. 


I continue to seek out new opportunities to learn and incorporate different modalities into treatment, including utilizing technology to help manage mental health.