About
Hello! I am Amanda. I am a psychologist and psychotherapist, university instructor, mom, and fellow human out here doing my best in a beautiful and challenging world.
Clinical Orientation:
I have built my clinical practice around Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and other mindfulness and interpersonally - based treatments and practices.
With empathy, honesty, and full-hearted connection, I use the theory of functional contextualism to examine what is and isn't working for my clients and make space to adjust and let go.
The goal of my practice is to help people better see and experience the profound inherent worth we each carry and to build a sense of loving - kindness, and connection. After all, we are all out here just being humans and doing the best we know how to do. One of the great joys of my life is to stand with people as they work toward living meaningful, effective, and authentic lives.
Education:
I earned a Master's degree in clinical- behavioral psychology from Eastern Michigan University in 2013 . As a student, I studied and practiced theories and therapies that incorporate mindfulness as a clinical concept. I worked with Dr. Tamara Loverich researching emotion regulation strategies related to experiential avoidance; including deception, distraction, interpersonal violence, and others.
Read more about my time at Eastern here.
Academic Work:
I am a full-time faculty member at The University of Michigan - Flint where I teach, study, write, and speak about mindfulness-based clinical interventions regularly.
I am passionately pro- education access and get a great sense of fulfillment from working with my students, especially first generation students.
Classes taught in regular rotation include:
PSY 102: Introduction to Mindfulness Theory and Practice.
PSY 336: Personality Psychology.
PSY 341: Psychology of Gender.
PSY 351: Techniques of Behavioral Change.
PSY 352: Introduction to Clinical Psychology.
PSY 400: Advanced Topics in Psychology; Mindfulness Based Clinical Intervention in special populations.
Read more about my academic work here.
Identities and the intersections thereof:
I identify as a white, cis-gendered, fat woman. I think deeply about intersectional identities and am committed to personal and professional work related to understanding the impact that systemic and interpersonal oppression, power, and privilege have on us as individuals and as a community.
I am a "townie," having been born and raised in Ann Arbor, where I currently live. I am lake swimmer at heart, and enjoy frequent visits to the many lakes Michigan is famous for. I like cooking and sharing meals with my communities, large and small, and appreciate Ann Arbor's diverse restaurant scene as well! I am the parent of two happy, remarkable, and absolutely shining twin boys with complex medical needs. Navigating all that comes with that and with parenting in general has brought so much joy and challenge to my life.