Michael Grisonich
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Supporting individuals navigating OCD, Panic, Social Anxiety, Identity, and Men’s issues.
Availability: Accepting New Clients
In-person (Calgary) or Online (Alberta).
*Currently No Waitlist
Michael Works With:
Teens & Adults
Individuals & Group Therapy
Service Areas: Alberta
Book an initial consult below or send him an email at michael@carbonpsychology.ca
Michael is a Registered Provisional Psychologist who works with individuals navigating anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and internal conflict that feels difficult to step out of. Many of his Calgary clients are dealing with OCD, hoarding, phobias, social anxiety, panic, or trauma, and they're looking for clarity and a more direct way to work through these patterns.
His work integrates psychodynamic therapy with structured, evidence-based approaches. He provides Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold-standard treatment for both OCD and hoarding disorder — as well as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for trauma and PTSD.
Michael’s Approach.
Michael's approach is grounded, pragmatic, and driven by the problem in front of him. For OCD and hoarding, that means ERP. For trauma and PTSD, that means CPT. For identity, relational patterns, or internal conflict, the work often moves into psychodynamic territory — exploring the underlying patterns shaping thoughts, emotions, and relationships.
He places a strong emphasis on both insight and action, not just understanding what’s happening, but developing the ability to respond differently over time. His work is particularly well-suited for those who want to engage deeply with their experience while also making concrete, measurable change.
What it’s like to work with Michael.
Sessions with Michael are direct, focused, and collaborative. He helps clients take an honest look at the experiences they tend to avoid, while building the capacity to engage with them in a more intentional way.
Alongside this, he brings a quick, often understated sense of humour into the room, which can help take some of the intensity out of the work and make difficult conversations feel more approachable.
There is a clear sense of direction in sessions, the work is purposeful, and over time, clients begin to relate to their thoughts, emotions, and reactions in a more flexible and grounded way.
Personal Note
When I’m not working as a therapist—or sitting in a coffee shop reading something about therapy—I like to travel, play chess and golf, and train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Each keeps me engaged, learning, and, at times, a little frustrated.
In 2020, I left my life in Southern Alberta to teach English at a public university in Saigon, Vietnam. For nearly two years, I immersed myself in a beautiful country and culture—an experience that shaped me deeply and still means a lot to me today.
Education.
Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology (Yorkville University)
Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Athabasca University)
Former teacher at a public university in Vietnam
Former teacher with Quebecois members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Specialized training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for the treatment of OCD.
Michael Helps With.
OCD • Anxiety • Panic • Social Anxiety • Trauma • Overthinking • Phobias • Identity • Men’s Mental Health
Group Therapy for Social Anxiety
Group Therapy for Men
ERP Therapy for OCD
Break free from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Living with OCD can feel exhausting. Intrusive thoughts seem to appear out of nowhere, and compulsions—like checking, repeating, or seeking reassurance—can feel near-impossible to resist. Even when you know these rituals don’t fully make sense, the anxiety can be overwhelming.
OCD creates a self-reinforcing cycle: obsessions trigger anxiety, compulsions bring brief relief, and the cycle begins again.
The good news? This cycle can be broken.
Why ERP?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is considered the first-line treatment for OCD by leading mental health organizations worldwide.
With ERP, you gradually face fears in a safe, structured way while resisting compulsions. This creates opportunities for new learning—your brain begins to recognize that anxiety can naturally rise and fall on its own, and that feared outcomes are often far less dangerous than they seem.
Research suggests that ERP can even lead to changes in the brain circuits involved in OCD. While no treatment works for everyone, many people who engage in ERP experience meaningful relief, freeing them up to spend their time and mental energy on what matters most.
ERP Therapy for Hoarding
Treating hoarding where it actually lives.
Hoarding disorder is different from OCD, but the treatment approach shares the same foundation: exposure, response prevention, and the gradual rewiring of anxiety responses.
The difference is that hoarding lives in the home. That's where the objects are. That's where the anxiety is. And that's where the most effective therapy happens.
Michael offers in-home ERP sessions for clients working through hoarding disorder. Sessions are structured, collaborative, and tailored to each person's pace — whether that means sorting through one drawer, discarding a single bag, or walking a route to different garbage cans together to practice the full cycle of letting go.
Why in-home sessions?
Hoarding responses are triggered by context. Working in the actual environment produces far stronger clinical results than office-based talk therapy alone.
Real objects, real decisions, real practice — not hypothetical scenarios.
Progress is visible and measurable, week over week.
If you've tried talking about it and nothing has changed, it may be because the work needs to happen where the clutter actually is.