Email: Info@thrivebeyondtraumacounseling.com
Call: (248) 392- 3733
Counselling
Counselling
DEREK MEHRABAN
LLMSW, CAADC-DP, CSAT Candidate
Trauma-Informed Therapist • Addiction & Couples Recovery
Gottman Method (Level 1 & 2 Trained) • Partner Betrayal Trauma–Informed
In Farmington Hills & Ann Arbor, Michigan
*I support individuals and couples navigating addiction, betrayal, and relational distress. My work is trauma-informed, structured, and relational — Helping you rebuild safety, accountability, and connection at a pace your nervous system can trust.*
Email:Derek@thrivebeyondtraumacounseling.com
Derek is a trauma-informed therapist who works with individuals and couples navigating addiction, recovery, relational distress, and major life transitions. His clinical style is grounded, structured, and deeply human—Helping clients move from survival patterns into clarity, accountability, and meaningful change.
With extensive experience in high-acuity addiction treatment and integrated behavioral health, Derek brings steadiness to complex clinical work. He is especially attuned to the intersection of substance use, compulsive behaviors, emotional regulation, and relationship dynamics.
Clients often describe Derek as thoughtful, direct, and deeply present—Someone who helps them understand why patterns exist and how to change them in sustainable, real-world ways.
*Healing happens when insight, accountability, and compassion move together.*
Clinical Approach & Philosophy
Derek’s approach is integrative, trauma-informed, and action-oriented. He believes therapy should be emotionally safe and practically effective—Balancing insight with tools that support lasting change.
His work emphasizes:
- Nervous-system awareness and regulation
- Reducing shame and self-blame
- Building internal structure and consistency
- Accountability without punishment
- Forward movement grounded in values
This approach is especially supportive for clients impacted by addiction, betrayal, anxiety, and relational rupture.
*Insight matters—But change is built through consistent, supported action.*
Advanced Training & Specializations
Addiction & Recovery-Informed Therapy
Derek has extensive experience working with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, and transitional stress. He supports clients in early recovery, sustained sobriety, and relapse-prevention planning.
His work focuses on:
- Breaking denial and minimization
- Strengthening recovery structure
- Emotional regulation skills
- Rebuilding trust and self-respect
- Integrating recovery into daily life
*Recovery becomes sustainable when structure replaces chaos and shame is replaced with clarity.*
CSAT Addiction Recovery
(Carnes 30-Task Model)
Derek is trained in Dr. Patrick Carnes’ CSAT 30-Task Model, supporting individuals and couples impacted by sexual addiction, compulsive sexual behaviors, and co-occurring substance use.
His work emphasizes:
- Accountability and honesty
- Relapse-prevention structure
- Emotional regulation and impulse control
- Repairing the relational impact of addiction
- Rebuilding trust through consistent, recovery-aligned action
This structured, trauma-informed approach supports both individual recovery and relational healing.
*Addiction loses power when truth, structure, and accountability replace secrecy.*
Couples & Relational Work — Gottman Method
Derek is trained in the Gottman Method (Levels 1 & 2) and works with couples navigating conflict, emotional distance, addiction-impacted relationships, and trust repair.
He helps couples:
- Understand their conflict cycles
- Rebuild emotional safety
- Improve communication and repair
- Strengthen friendship and intimacy
- Move from reactivity to collaboration
His couples work is especially supportive for relationships impacted by addiction, secrecy, and betrayal.
*Relationships heal when safety, honesty, and skillful communication return.*
Partner Betrayal Trauma–Informed Care
Derek supports partners impacted by betrayal, secrecy, and relational rupture with trauma-informed care that prioritizes emotional safety, validation, and stabilization.
He helps partners:
- Understand trauma responses
- Rebuild trust in their instincts
- Reduce hypervigilance and overwhelm
- Regain clarity and grounded decision-making
- Engage in relational repair at a safe, intentional pace
His work honors both partners’ experiences while centering safety and accountability.
*Partners deserve care that protects safety—Not pressure to move on.*
Trauma-Informed & Integrated Care
Across all work, Derek integrates evidence-based, trauma-informed modalities, including:
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- DBT Skills
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Behavioral Activation
- Family- and systems-informed approaches
This integrated lens allows him to work effectively with complexity, co-occurring challenges, and long-standing patterns.
Professional Coaching & Life Transitions
With a background in entrepreneurship, leadership, and higher-education instruction, Derek also supports clients navigating identity shifts, career transitions, burnout, and life restructuring.
He brings clarity, strategic thinking, and emotional attunement to clients seeking both personal and professional growth.
Therapeutic Lens
Derek’s work is grounded in ethics, structure, and relational integrity. He values clear communication, collaborative goal-setting, and creating a space where clients feel respected, challenged, and supported.
He is known for his strong clinical presence, attention to ethical care, and commitment to helping clients move forward—Not just understand their pain.
*Healing is built through honesty, structure, and steady forward movement.*
Schedule Appointment
Derek offers individual therapy and couples work for adults seeking grounded, trauma-informed, recovery-aware care.
Schedule your appointment today to begin your next step toward clarity, stability, and connection.