Meet Michael Zwizanski, LMFT
- Amanda Earle, MA, LAC, LPC, LMHC
- Nov 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 24
A Conversation between Clinicians about Safety, Identity, and the Power of Being Seen
At Living Story Therapy, PLLC, we believe therapy should feel like a place where your truth can finally exhale. Whether you’re exploring identity, nurturing healthier relationships, or simply trying to stay grounded while juggling work, life, and ambition, you deserve support that feels both safe and energizing.
Today, we’re excited to introduce one of our KINK TANK therapists whose presence reflects the heart of our mission: warm, affirming, deeply grounded, and unafraid to walk with clients into the more honest parts of themselves. For individuals living in the states of Pennsylvania and Colorado, meet:
Michael Zwizanski, LMFT
(He/Him/His)
Below is the conversation between myself (Amanda) and Michael, which I hope offers an opportunity to meet the human behind the chair and the values that guide his work.
Your clients often come in holding truths they’ve never said out loud. How do you create a space where people feel safe enough to open up and be fully seen?
When someone shares something for the first time, it’s an honor. I remind them that they’re in control. They can pause, slow down, or set boundaries at any point. My role is to create a space where their story feels safe enough to land.
I want prospective clients to know:Â You have permission to move at your own pace. You have the power to say no. You get to decide what feels right to share.
You work with many clients navigating dating, relationships, and the pressures of building a career or business. How do you support people trying to balance emotional connection with personal ambition?
A lot of that work comes down to boundaries and balance. Together, we look at what’s working, what’s not, and where they feel stretched too thin. I listen closely to the places where they feel pulled in opposite directions.
Once we identify the pressure points, we collaborate to create boundaries that support both their ambition and their emotional wellbeing.
Your presence has a naturally calming effect. How do you bring that grounded energy into the therapy room, and why is it important to your approach?
I show up ready to listen. I check in: What’s been going on? What feels most important to talk about today? What’s weighing on your heart?
For clients who struggle with anxiety, having someone grounded in the room can make all the difference. They may have thoughts spinning in every direction, and I remind them they don’t need to deliver the story perfectly or chronologically.
They can speak in pieces. I can help them hold the map.
Some clients aren’t out yet or are only out in certain pockets of their lives. What guidance do you offer to people who are holding both fear and curiosity as they explore who they are?
We start by naming the fears, looking at them directly, processing them, and saying them out loud without judgment. Then we focus on small, manageable steps. That might mean choosing one safe person to open up to, experimenting with gender expression, or finding affirming community spaces.
For many clients, especially my Trans clients, exploring identity is not a single leap. It’s a series of gentle, intentional steps toward living more authentically.
In your work, what feels most meaningful about walking alongside clients who are shaping their lives and identities on their own terms?
Honestly? Watching the magic happen. Seeing clients use the coping skills they’ve learned. Watching them grow. Watching them become more comfortable in their own skin. Seeing them face challenges they once thought were impossible, and then helping them maintain that progress. There’s something deeply moving about witnessing someone build a life that finally feels like theirs.
You transitioned careers into therapy. What helped you realize this was the right path for you?
Along the way, it became clearer and clearer that this is where I’m meant to be. I initially wanted to work with couples and be a nonjudgmental voice helping people heal relationships. But the more experience I gained, the more I realized how aligned one-on-one work was with my personality.
I love being the person who listens deeply, holds someone’s story with care, and collaborates with them to find the solutions that fit their life.
