Dr. Michael Altekruse

Dr. Michael Altekruse is a licensed psychologist in Wisconsin with 25 years of experience. He combines a client-centered mindset with practical therapies to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and relationship concerns. He listens first and asks questions to understand what brought someone to therapy and what matters most to them.

Dr. Altekruse has worked in college counseling centers and a school district. That range of settings gave him experience with many ages and everyday life challenges. He draws on that background when helping people who face parenting stress, career shifts, or mood changes.

In sessions he focuses on goals and on the things that get in the way of reaching them. He pays attention to attachment, abandonment, and family of origin patterns that often affect relationships and communication. He also addresses caregiver stress, fatherhood concerns, and feelings of guilt or shame when those come up.

His style is respectful and down-to-earth. He aims to be calming and approachable and to bring some humor when appropriate. He won’t claim to have all the answers, but he will work with each person to test actions and strategies that fit their life.

Taking the first step can feel hard, and he acknowledges that courage. He invites people who are ready to look at themselves and make changes to start a conversation and set clear, manageable goals.

How these approaches work for online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding someone’s goals. The therapist follows the person’s lead, reflects what they say, and helps them decide what changes matter most. This approach is useful when someone wants a respectful space to talk through parenting, relationship, or life-purpose concerns.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It breaks problems into manageable steps and tests small changes to reduce anxiety, depression, or impulsivity. Motivational interviewing helps people find their own reasons to change and can be useful with issues like ADHD, procrastination, or making lifestyle shifts.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will learn about needs, goals, and preferences and then suggest methods to try. Plans are adjusted over time based on what works for each person.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They also let people choose quiet, low-distraction moments for work on communication, coping skills, and relationship patterns.