Amy Saarnio Wyka, LMSW, LCSW - Therapist in Michigan

About Amy

Amy Saarnio Wyka is a licensed social worker with 21 years of professional experience. She is licensed in Michigan as an LCSW and in Wisconsin as an LMSW. Amy focuses on family and parenting concerns as well as a wide range of emotional and life challenges.

She helps people work through family conflict, trauma and abuse, and parenting stress. She also supports those dealing with depression, anxiety, grief, and relationship or intimacy-related struggles.

Background and approach

Clients with issues like addiction, ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, or changes in career and life circumstances may find practical strategies in sessions. Amy builds a straightforward, nonjudgmental space where people can talk through hard things. Conversations focus on what matters to each person and on next steps that feel doable.

She uses approaches that emphasize relationships, present-focused skills, and practical thinking. Her training includes attachment-based work that looks at how patterns in relationships affect feelings and behavior. She also uses client-centered techniques to keep sessions focused on the person’s priorities and cognitive behavioral strategies to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors.

Amy works with adults in Michigan and holds the following credentials: MI LMSW 6801095312 and WI LCSW 7487-123. She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs. Taking the first step can feel hard, and Amy aims to make starting therapy straightforward and respectful.

Background and approach: In sessions Amy listens for patterns that keep problems repeating and helps people test small changes. She combines practical skills with attention to how past relationships shape current worries. Together with each client she sets clear goals and checks progress along the way.

Her style is calm and direct, focused on helping people feel heard and on finding workable solutions for day-to-day life. The work is collaborative and paced to match each person’s comfort level.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how early bonds influence current reactions; it helps people understand why they repeat certain relationship patterns and aims to shift those patterns over time. Client-Centered Therapy centers the session around the person’s priorities, offering a respectful space to talk without judgment and helping clients set the direction of the work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small changes in behavior to reduce distress and improve daily functioning.

Finding the best approach is part of the collaborative work. The therapist will listen to goals, try different techniques, and adjust methods based on what helps most. Clients and therapist decide together which tools to use and how fast to move forward.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy family schedules, manage parenting or work demands, and keep continuity when life gets hectic. Licensed professionals can use these formats to teach coping skills, practice conversations, and follow progress without requiring travel or long waits.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Amy address?

She works with a wide range of issues including family and parenting conflicts, trauma and abuse, depression, anxiety, grief, relationship and intimacy challenges, and other life stressors listed in her profile.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her approach is nonjudgmental and practical, focusing on listening, setting clear goals, and trying small, doable steps to change patterns that cause stress.

What is her professional background?

Amy has 21 years of professional experience and has worked with people on family conflict, parenting, trauma, and mood concerns.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She is licensed as an LMSW in Michigan and as an LCSW in Wisconsin with credential numbers MI LMSW 6801095312 and WI LCSW 7487-123, and she practices from Michigan.

Which languages are used in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working together?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Parenting issues

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 21 years
Licensed: Wisconsin, Michigan
Languages: English

Next step

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