Amy Saarnio Wyka, LMSW, LCSW

Amy Saarnio Wyka is a licensed social worker with 21 years of experience. She holds LMSW and LCSW credentials and practices in Michigan. Amy focuses on helping people manage family stress, trauma, parenting challenges, and depression in straightforward, practical ways.

She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk through difficult thoughts and feelings. Sessions are conversational and goal-oriented, with attention to what matters most in daily life. Amy emphasizes clear steps clients can try between appointments.

Amy draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice patterns of thinking and change unhelpful behaviors. She also uses attachment-based ideas to look at how past relationships affect current ones. Client-centered methods shape sessions so people set the pace and focus for their work.

Over two decades she has worked with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, grief, relationship strain, addiction, eating and sleeping issues, bipolar mood challenges, and caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with abandonment, adoption and foster care questions, chronic illness, and body image struggles.

Her approach balances practical tools with attention to emotions. Amy helps clients set clear goals and checks progress each visit. She encourages small, realistic changes that add up over time.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online sessions

Amy uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients identify patterns of thought and behavior and test small changes that reduce distress. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating concerns, and many everyday problems.

She also draws on attachment-based therapy to look at how early relationship patterns affect current connections and emotional responses. This approach helps people understand recurring relational themes and build different ways of relating to others.

Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. Amy will collaborate with each person to decide which approaches fit their needs and goals. She checks in on progress and adjusts tools and focus as therapy moves forward.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video works well for in-depth conversations and visual cues, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and chat or text can suit brief check-ins or people who prefer typing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or busy days while maintaining consistent contact with a licensed professional.