Amanda Washnock, LMSW
You're in control.
Therapy with me means you're in the driver's seat.
Healing often comes from a desire to understand yourself, your emotions, and your behavior more fully. It’s so important to have a space where you can feel emotionally held when sharing complex feelings and experiences. I work to create a safe environment so that you can truly be authentic with me.
I want to talk about your strengths, ideas, dreams, and how you can create real progress toward everything you want and deserve. Life can be hard for many of us but therapy allows us to slow down and discover ways to get through the toughest moments. Whether you’re healing from past trauma, facing challenging circumstances, feeling left out, grieving, overwhelmed by stress, struggling with anxiety or depression, or feeling stuck in general, there’s nothing too big or too small to talk about in therapy. I would love to hear your story.
EDUCATION
- BA in Social Work and BS in Psychology, Michigan State University
- Master of Social Work, Wayne State University
WORKS WITH
- Adults
TYPES OF THERAPY
- Person Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Family Systems
I love creating spaces that feel brave, safe, and supportive, and having the privilege of witnessing what is often a transformative journey for each individual person. I feel honored to be invited into the lives of others, offering guidance and tools along the way, but ultimately following your lead.
If you have something on your mind, I want you to know that I’m here to help you through it so you never have to feel alone. Together, we’ll work to unpack the challenges and discover how you can move forward stronger and healthier. It’s perfectly normal to be unsure or nervous about starting therapy so that’s why I work really hard to make the first session feel relaxed. I want you to be comfortable so we can start wherever you feel is best. I’m here to listen when you’re ready.
In particular, I enjoy helping adults navigate difficult parent relationships. I work with many people on the process of “reparenting,” which is the process in which an adult works to meet their own emotional needs that went unmet in childhood. These needs may include affection, self-compassion, feelings of security, emotional regulation, and more. This work is all about healing your inner child and also learning to set boundaries now as an adult so that you can create space for having your needs met in ways you deserve.
I also work with individuals experiencing problems relating to sex, intimacy, sensuality, physical connection in their relationships, and more. Sex therapy is highly beneficial for many individuals because it allows a safe space to normalize talking about your sexuality and experiences with sex. Having a fulfilling sex life is a completely normal, natural part of health and wellness. I want you to know that it’s okay – and encouraged – to talk in session with me about your emotions and experiences as it relates to sex. Together I hope we can create a completely safe environment where there will not be any reason to feel shame or guilt as we explore these important topics.
FAVORITE SELF-CARE
I love to be outside. Fresh air feels so healing for me. I always try to step outside when I have a break at work or while working on a household project. I also spend a lot of my spare time outside walking, hiking, relaxing by the water, or lounging in my hammock in my backyard. If I’ve had a particularly difficult day, I have an elaborate skincare routine that feels like I’m washing away the weight of the day. My less frequent self-care is traveling. I love experiencing new places, new people, and new joy.
FUN FACTS
- I love podcasts. I usually gravitate towards true crime and relationship podcasts. My number one is “Where Should We Begin” with Esther Perel.
- I grew up a few blocks from Lake Superior and now crave being near water, so I spend a lot of time planning vacations that revolve around lakes and oceans.
- Every year or so I’ll pick up a new creative hobby. My approach to imagination and art is summed up well by Maya Angelou’s quote: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
LIFE MOTTO
My mom used to work with migrants from Australia who used the phrase “she’ll be right” as a way of acknowledging fleeting hardships. This phrase never felt minimizing as it was only used when both of us outwardly recognized that the difficulty would pass. I always appreciated it because it allowed me to experience difficult feelings but reassured me that in time, the burden would lighten. I’ve used it to find my anchor of calmness over the years.
