Amanda Schafer, LMHC-D

You look like you have it all together. Inside, your mind won’t slow down. You replay conversations, check with someone before every decision, and say yes when you wanted to say no. And somehow you still feel like you should be doing more What you want is simpler than a perfect plan. You want to make a choice and trust it. To say what you think without rehearsing it for an hour. To feel like enough, even on the days you didn’t get everything done. I work with teens and adults navigating perfectionism and burn out. My clients often overthink, have troubles making decisions, and feel like they can always be doing more.

I believe that life can be good even when things go differently than we hoped. As a licensed mental health counselor, I strive to help clients bridge the gap between waiting for things to get better and making the change. I believe therapy should be collaborative and inviting for lasting change.

Therapy with me feels like a breath of fresh air. I’m warm and direct, and I get it. You can skip the polished version of your story. Things tend to feel lighter once someone understands what you’ve been carrying. I work with each client to understand what is happening beneath the surface while developing practical tools to navigate everyday life.

I have worked with hundreds of clients over the past three years, and have experience working with children, teens, and adults navigating all of the challenges and concerns that life throws their way. I offer support for anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, relationships, boundary setting, life transitions, school, college, and work stress.

I often work with teens and young adults who are navigating anxiety, self-doubt, relationships, and the pressure to have everything figured out. Whether you’re struggling to trust yourself, trying to figure out who you are, or feeling overwhelmed by expectations from yourself and others, therapy can help you better understand your patterns and find a way forward.

I utilize an integrated approach in sessions, pulling from CBT, DBT, SF-TIC, and EMDR modalities. What does this actually look like in session? Challenging persistent thought patterns, offering tools and coping skills, working on core beliefs, and assisting you in navigating challenges in a way that is aligned with your overall goals.

If you believe you can benefit from therapy, you can! Even if you aren’t quite sure what you want to work on or if you can’t quite pinpoint what is hurting you. Part of my job is to act as a sounding board for you. We can come up with goals together and explore the root of the problem.

You are the expert on your own life. Therapy helps bridge the gap between what you want and what you’re doing to get there. It offers a space to better understand yourself, explore patterns, navigate challenges, and create meaningful change—so you can move toward a life that feels more aligned with who you are and what matters most to you.