About Amanda
Life is a journey with many twists and turns. Along the way, we experience some good things and some not-so-good things, but all life experiences make up who we are in this very moment. Everyone deserves to tell their story and to be heard. I’m here to help support my clients, so they have a voice and can determine their own life direction and meaning.
I primarily use tools from cognitive behavioral therapies and mindfulness in working with substance abuse, addiction, depression, anxiety, anger management, ADHD/impulse control, and life transitions. I help individuals gain a deeper understanding of how motivation, executive functioning, and overall functionality affect their daily lives.
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Michigan State University in 2011, and received my Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology and Graduate Certificate in Substance Abuse and Addiction from Western Michigan University in 2015.
Amanda Edwards, MA CAADC
Therapist
Providing in-person & virtual services
she / her / hers
FOCUS AREAS:
To book an initial appointment with Amanda call (517) 258-0026 or click here to send a message.
ADHD, Addiction, Anxiety & Depression
Amanda's Introduction Video
Amanda shares how her own therapy influenced her career, who is a good fit for her as clients and a quote that guides her therapy style
Video Transcript:
Amanda: "I became a therapist because of my own experiences with therapy and my own challenges that I faced through out my life. I experienced first hand the value of someone providing me with support, guidance and just hope during difficult times in my life. Those experiences have allowed me to pursue a career where I can help others with the same compassion and encouragement that I had."
Interviewer: "Amanda tell me about who your ideal clients are and some of the most common symptoms they're coming in your office with."
Amanda: "So I work a lot with people who struggle with alcohol and drug use problems. So we'll see often times [clients] who sacrifice important priorities due to their substance use problem or they may have problems in their relationships, such as: friendships, family relationships, or even with their significant other because of their alcohol and drug use. I also work with clients who have and experience anxiety. A lot of times they come in feeling very overwhelmed with daily tasks or even feel that doing their daily tasks are a lot harder than it should be for them."
Interviewer: "Amanda, tell me a little bit about your treatment approaches and give me a sense of what it feels like to be in a session with you."
Amanda: "I use a lot of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness interventions. I help clients understand the connection between their thoughts, their emotions and behaviors to help them gain that self-awareness that they need. In the therapy session, I want the client to feel that I am a guide that helps them explore different solutions that feel genuine to them."
Interviewer: "Amanda, you had shared a quote with me that seemed seemed really meaningful to you and guided your therapy sessions. Tell me more about it."
Amanda: "So I really like the quote, "Progress not perfection.' I am a perfectionist myself and so it was through my therapy experiences that I learned that no one is perfect and that we all try the hardest to do the best that we can and that, through therapy, it is not about being perfect but it is about making positive changes in the areas in our life that mean the most."