Amy Shafer, LCSW

Licensed in California · 30 years in practice

Amy Shafer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with three decades of practice.

License and registration

LCSW, California: 16945 · expires January 2028
NPI: 1356411888 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 30
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Amy

Amy Shafer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with three decades of practice. She focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions. Amy aims to make sessions straightforward and practical for worried parents and adults seeking support.

She draws on several approaches to help people cope and heal. Amy uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thoughts and build workable habits.

Background and approach

She also uses client-centered and emotionally-focused techniques to strengthen relationships and improve communication. Amy has worked in many settings over 30 years and has spent recent years concentrating on adult and geriatric concerns. Common issues she addresses include family conflict, trauma and abuse, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and intimacy-related problems.

She also supports people dealing with addiction, sleep problems, and low self-esteem. In sessions she focuses on practical tools and clear steps people can try between meetings. That might include new ways to handle strong emotions, tests of small behavior changes, or communication practices to reduce conflict.

The goal is steady progress rather than quick fixes. Amy works from California and brings a calm, patient style to conversations. She helps people weigh options and set realistic goals for change.

Her background in psychology and social work shapes a grounded, experience-based approach.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Amy lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Grief
Self esteem
Depression
Coping with life changes
Addictions
LGBT
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Intimacy-related issues
Sleeping disorders
Parenting issues
Compassion fatigue
Abandonment
Aging and geriatric issues
Avoidant personality
Blended family issues
Cancer
Caregiver issues and stress
Chronic pain, illness, and disability
Co-morbidity
Codependency
Commitment issues
Communication problems
Control issues
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Dependent personality
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Fatherhood issues
Fertility issues
First responder issues
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
Hoarding
Hospice and end-of-life counseling
Isolation / loneliness
Life purpose
Mood disorders
Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Post-traumatic stress
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia
Women's issues

Approaches Amy names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How Amy’s Approaches Translate to Online Care

Amy uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice painful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. ACT can be useful for anxiety, grief, and navigating life changes by focusing on small, meaningful steps. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify patterns of thinking that keep problems going and to practice new behaviors that reduce stress and depression. CBT often involves short exercises and experiments between sessions to build momentum.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Amy will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals and daily life. That collaborative process helps tailor sessions so tools are practical and sustainable rather than abstract ideas.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation for relationship work and emotion-focused exercises. Phone sessions can be useful when bandwidth is limited or for a focused check-in. Live chat and text messaging let people keep momentum with brief updates and exercises during the week. These options help people fit therapy into busy routines and try approaches that suit their comfort level.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does Amy commonly address?

She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family conflict, trauma and abuse, and addiction-related issues.

What is her general therapeutic style?

Her approach is practical and person-centered, combining acceptance, mindfulness, and problem-solving to create usable steps between sessions.

How much experience does she bring?

Amy brings 30 years of clinical experience across many settings, with recent focus on adult and geriatric concerns.

What credentials and region are listed?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - practicing in California.

Which languages are supported and can she see international clients?

Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available?

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

How are fees handled?

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

What are the first steps to begin working together?

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

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