Focus: Depression, Anxiety, Substance Use, Self-Harm, Self-Esteem and Body-Image Concerns, Family and Relationship Issues, Trauma History, Work/Life Balance, Life Transitions.

Biography: Amanda is a licensed clinical social worker who works with teens, young adults, and adults. Amanda works well supporting those with trauma backgrounds, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and those struggling with unsustainable behaviors, such as people pleasing, perfectionism, self-harm, and substance abuse. Amanda’s goal in session is to build safety and trust, empower you to feel your feelings, lean into your strengths, motivate yourself through your values, and work toward making healthy, sustainable choices.

Amanda has over 7 years experience providing mental health services to individuals and groups in various settings of care. She has worked in inpatient behavioral health, juvenile justice, community mental health, crisis counseling, and outpatient mental health. Amanda received both her Bachelors of Social Work and Masters of Social Work, with a concentration in mental health, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Amanda uses an integrative approach, pulling from various modalities to offer truly individualized care. Practicing through a humanistic, relational, strengths-based, and trauma-informed lens, Amanda prioritizes a warm and nonjudgmental, but also direct approach. Amanda honors your feelings, needs, and safety in the therapeutic relationship. She provides the patience and tools to practice skills both in and outside of session. Amanda utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to assist clients in understanding and regulating their emotions, meeting their needs, choosing healthy behaviors, and working towards living a fulfilling, valuable life.

Amanda believes that you deserve support and encouragement on your journey to healing. Amanda enjoys exploring how our childhoods and past experiences shape us, but do not define us. She believes in providing a compassionate, kind, flexible, and supportive environment, while still holding space for accountability and consistency!