Amy Waddell , LMSW, OSW-C

Wellness matters. Wellness first.

Amy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 23 years of experience providing counseling services to adults (ages 18 and up) and families navigating emotional challenges and life transitions in outpatient clinics and hospital settings.

Treatment Philosophy & Focus

While life transitions and recurrent internal conflict can be stressful and unnerving, it can also present a tremendous opportunity for growth. Whether your goal is to reduce the strong hold of depression and anxiety, improve relationships, cope more skillfully with life adjustments or develop the self-confidence to overcome barriers that keep you stuck; together, we can create small shifts in thinking and behavior that can make all the difference. You can negotiate life transitions successfully, no matter how daunting these transitions may initially appear. Through self-exploration, which may include an investigation of your family history, my approach involves an understanding of your emotions, motivation to change and utilizes specific tools used to break down internal and external barriers which prevent you from living the life you envision. Our journey begins in the context of a safe, respectful and trusting relationship using a client-centered approach informed by family systems theory and enhanced by cognitive behavioral techniques. Anxiety, depression, addiction, grief and loss, chronic illness, unsolved trauma, and patterns of unhealthy relationships do not have to define us. In an accepting environment, we can develop your vision of what you want for your life and employ methods that will get you closer to where you want to be. I look forward to taking this journey together.

Education & Experience

Amy graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, followed by a Masters of Social Work from Wayne State University. She has worked in various inpatient and outpatient mental health clinics honing her skills, interests and zeal for the helping profession. Amy has also worked in a number of hospital settings assisting people coping simultaneously with physical ailments coupled with interpersonal crisis. She continues to practice as an Oncology Certified Social Worker with people & families coping with the challenges associated with chronic and life-limiting illnesses. I look forward to walking this journey with you.

Specializations

Amy has years of experience in various clinical and hospital settings with clients (ages 18 yrs to geriatric) presenting a wide variety of mental health issues. She began her career working within the homeless community, moved into addictions work, through the mental health systems to include: anxiety, depression, adjustment and personality disorders, relationship issues and finally helping people coping with serious and terminal illness, and into grief/loss.

  • Addiction
  • Adjustment Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Domestic Violence
  • Couple/Interpersonal relationships
  • Chronic Illness
  • Grief/Loss
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Trauma
  • Stress Management
  • Substance Use and Abuse
  • Women’s Issues
  • Weight Loss
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The Wellness Institute of Michigan Therapists