107 Sunbelt Court, Greer, South Carolina 29650, United States
Amy L. Wood, MMFT, LMFT
"Promise me you’ll always remember that you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
- Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh
MEET THE THERAPIST...
Amy L. Wood, MMFT, LMFT
I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Communications Studies with a Minor in Health Science from Clemson Unive
"Promise me you’ll always remember that you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
- Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh
MEET THE THERAPIST...
Amy L. Wood, MMFT, LMFT
I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Communications Studies with a Minor in Health Science from Clemson University in 1997. Upon graduating, I began working for the Anderson Area Medical Center as a Community Outreach Specialist. My primary responsibility was to target and serve the underprivileged patrons of Anderson and the surrounding communities who were unable to afford health care. I counseled patients on preventative health, exercise, and nutrition. Although good physical health was the number-one goal for the hospital, mental health was also a focus of my follow-up consultation. Often, my clients just needed someone to talk to about their problems.
I have been married for 26 years and have a daughter age 23 and a son age 20. After becoming pregnant with our first child, my husband and I made a collaborative decision for me to be a stay-at-home mom. I enjoyed having the primary title of “Mom” for 10 years. When my youngest child began kindergarten, I also returned to school.
A degree in counseling seemed like the natural choice, as I have always had a strong desire to help people, especially those who are in crisis. I hold a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse College. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of South Carolina and a Certified Life Coach from the Life Coach Institute of Orange County.
To fulfill my practicum hours, I served as a Graduate Student Therapist at WestGate Family Therapy in Spartanburg. WestGate is a non-profit clinic that serves patrons of the community on a sliding-fee scale. No one in need of therapy is turned away due to the inability to pay. While at WestGate, I saw clients ranging from young children to the elderly. I have experience with issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, sexual abuse, physical abuse, divorce, grief, sexual identity disorder, family conflict, and marital strife.
In addition to being a therapist at WestGate, I helped charter a partnership between WestGate Family Therapy and the Ellen Hines Smith Home for Girls. I was able to do in-home therapy for high risk families in order to strengthen family bonds and hone parenting skills to keep children at home instead of in foster care or group homes.
I am clinically trained to examine problems from a systemic view. In short, I believe many factors influence our lives . Such factor might be our immediate family, our extended family, close relationships, friendships, religion/spirituality, culture, ethnicity, social media, peer pressure, socioeconomic status, age, and sex (just to name a few). I think therapy should be approached as a collaborative partnership between the therapist and the client. I gear my therapeutic method to suit the needs of each client; however, I tend to gravitate toward Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
My goal is to assist individuals, couples, and families who are in distress and dealing with life changes by exhibiting empathetic listening skills, teaching improved communication and negotiation skills, and employing stress-reduction techniques to promote healthy and fulfilling relationships, strengthen family bonds, and maximize quality of life. Together we can bridge the gap between where you are now and who you want to become.