Dr. Michael Burrows, Ph.D.

About Dr. Burrows

If you’re here, something probably feels stuck — in your relationships, in how you see yourself, or in patterns you can’t quite explain but keep running into. I help people slow down and explore what’s underneath that.

My work is rooted in curiosity. Rather than offering quick fixes or surface-level coping strategies, I want to understand the deeper patterns — often shaped by early relationships, identity, and emotional experiences — that keep showing up in ways that feel painful or confusing. I’m not interested in just managing symptoms. I’m interested in why they’re there.

I draw on psychodynamic and relational approaches, which means the relationship between us becomes an important tool. How you relate to me in the room often reflects how you relate to people in your life — and that awareness, developed together over time, is where genuine change happens.

“I don’t think people need to be fixed. I think they need a space where they can be honest about what’s actually going on — and someone who’s willing to sit in that with them.”

Michael Burrows, Ph.D., Therapist DC

My Approach

I lean toward exploration over rigid structure. The most meaningful breakthroughs I’ve seen come from following what’s alive in the room rather than checking boxes on a treatment plan. I balance warmth and support with honest reflection — gentle enough to feel safe, direct enough to move forward.

I have particular depth in working with grief and loss, self-esteem, and the intersections of identity — including cultural identity, sexual orientation, and what it means to be a man navigating vulnerability. For clients dealing with body image concerns, relationship patterns, or the fallout from major life transitions like divorce, I help connect present struggles to their deeper roots.

My research background shapes my clinical work, too. I’ve spent years studying LGBTQ+ identity, community belonging, and how minority stress affects well-being and relationships. That’s not just academic for me — it’s personal and professional commitment that shows up in the room. If you’re navigating questions about identity, sexuality, or what it means to belong, I bring both lived understanding and scholarly depth to that work.

If you’re someone who wants more than symptom management — if you want to understand *why* you do what you do and build a more authentic relationship with yourself — I think this kind of work can get you there.