Matt Anderson

Mental Health Practitioner

Matt Anderson, MA, Mental Health Practitioner (he/him)  works with individual adults, couples, and families. He is particularly interested in helping people who feel anxious, depressed, emotionally stuck, or disconnected from themselves or their relationships, as well as those who have not felt at home in traditional therapy spaces. Matt has a particular interest in men’s experiences, including how traditional expectations around masculinity can make it difficult to express emotions, be vulnerable, or ask for help.  Matt also has an understanding of ADHD and the ways it can impact individuals, relationships. everyday functioning, and a person’s sense of self.

Matt is especially interested in the tension between being connected to others and maintaining a strong sense of self. He works with clients navigating conflict, enmeshment, codependence, and difficulty setting boundaries, helping them understand patterns that can make it difficult to say no, express what they need, or separate their own feelings and responsibilities from those of others. Matt believes relationships can offer deep connection without requiring us to lose ourselves in them. Therapy provides a space to explore these patterns honestly and develop more direct, authentic ways of communicating and relating, while recognizing that caring deeply about someone does not mean becoming responsible for their emotions, choices, or well-being.

Matt’s approach is rooted in Attachment Theory and draws from the Gottman Method and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) to help clients better understand their emotions, strengthen their relationships, and communicate what matters most to them. His work is also informed by Schema Therapy, particularly in understanding the longstanding patterns and beliefs that influence how people see themselves, relate to others, and experience relationships. Rather than focusing on rigid rules about how relationships “should” work, Matt encourages curiosity, flexibility, and the ability to respond differently when familiar patterns arise.

Prior to receiving his master’s degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Matt worked for ten years with Minneapolis Public Schools as an Associate Educator and served as a Literacy Tutor through AmeriCorps, supporting students, families, and communities. He completed his bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Matt works under the supervision of Michelle Peterson, LMFT.

Areas of Interest

• Couples therapy
• Men’s issues
• Communication and emotional intimacy

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

• MN Couples on the Brink training in Discernment Counseling
• Gottman Method Couples Therapy

LICENSURE

• Pursuing Licensure in Marriage and Family Therapy, anticipated 2028