Michael Clark-Borenstein, LCMHC, QS

Clinical bio

I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Sociology minor. Growing up, family and friends always came to me for help and found comfort in talking to me about their challenges. I loved helping them and always knew I wanted a career where I would be able to help people and have a positive impact on their lives. When I was a freshman in college at Rutgers University, I saw Eric LeGrand play football, and during a game, he was paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors thought that he would never be able to breathe independently again, let alone have any movement or feeling in his body. However, LeGrand never let his situation define him. He relearned how to breathe without a ventilator’s assistance and eventually even regained feeling in his body and some movement. Throughout my years in college, I saw the challenges and adversity that he faced. Seeing him still push towards his goals and have such a positive outlook on life helped me realize that I wanted to help people have that same outlook even though they have faced challenges and struggles. I also spent my time at Rutgers volunteering for a mentoring program at a local high school that would help guide students through high school with the goal of earning a full scholarship to Rutgers University. Seeing the positive impact I could have on these student lives further fueled my passion for helping others. During my final year at Rutgers, I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Rome, Italy. I developed a love of travel and learning about different people, cultures, and customs. I traveled to six other countries, where I was immersed in different cultures and traditions, which helped me learn and grow as a person. After graduating, I moved to Washington, DC, where I attended The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, DC Campus, for my Masters in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling. In 2017 my wife and I moved to Charlotte and loved getting to know the city! Then in September of 2022 my wife and I welcome boy/girl twins into the world! In 2020 I started Bright View Counseling in Charlotte, North Carolina, to help those struggling and offer a unique type of therapy and counseling. I wanted to create a practice where I could bring a different twist to the typical therapy approach by involving unique and engaging activities during the session, such as going outdoors for walks and outside sessions, playing games, and doing exercises, including our office dog Charlotte. My therapy specialties at Bright View Counseling include ADHD, anxiety, depression, exposure therapy, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). By utilizing a range of evidence-based techniques, I am dedicated to helping clients navigate their unique challenges and achieve lasting improvements in their mental health and well-being.