AE Portrait of Amy Elam

Amy Elam, LMSW

Calm practical guidance for anxiety and stress

30 years in practice · based in Michigan · sessions in English · online sessions

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About Amy

Amy Elam is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) based in Michigan with 30 years of experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and life transitions. Amy aims to make the first steps feel manageable and supportive for anyone ready to begin.

She uses straightforward, person-centered conversation to learn what matters most to each client. Amy draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Book with Amy Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Background and approach

She also brings in Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation and Mindfulness practices for staying present. Amy adapts sessions to fit each person’s needs and goals. That can mean working on communication patterns, building coping skills, or addressing issues like abandonment, attachment, body image, or impulsivity.

She is familiar with adoption and foster care concerns and with school-related special education processes. Sessions are practical and collaborative. Amy listens first, then offers tools and small steps to try between meetings.

She keeps language plain and focuses on what helps in day-to-day life. People who choose her often want a calm, steady guide while they work through anxiety, relationship stresses, or big life changes. Amy encourages clients to move at a pace that feels right and to set goals that are realistic and measurable.

How therapeutic approaches fit into online care

Amy often combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in online sessions. CBT focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that contribute to anxiety and practicing new ways of thinking. DBT teaches concrete skills for managing strong emotions and improving coping in high-stress moments.

She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to shape sessions around each person’s goals. That means the therapist and client work together to choose which approaches to try and adjust the plan over time. Finding the right blend is a collaborative process based on needs, goals, and how a person responds to different techniques.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and skill practice, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text messaging can support short check-ins or ongoing coaching between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, school, or caregiving schedules and to continue progress even when life is busy.
Book with Amy Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Questions people ask

What concerns does Amy help with?
Amy focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, self-esteem, depression, and coping with life changes. She also supports work on issues like abandonment, attachment concerns, body image, and impulsivity.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses a person-centered style that starts with listening. Then she offers practical tools from CBT, DBT, and mindfulness to address thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
What is her professional background?
Amy has 30 years of professional experience and has worked in school settings in addition to independent practice. Her background includes familiarity with special education processes.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed in Michigan and holds the LMSW credential noted as MI LMSW.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is available to work with international clients when that is appropriate.
What session formats does she use?
Therapy is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

What this therapist works with

Most often

Experience
30 years
Licensed
Michigan
Languages
English

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