Amy Aadland, PsyD

I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004 with a degree in secondary education. I loved working with children, and wanted to learn more about how to support them as fellow humans, and pivoted to my career in clinical psychology.  I received both my masters and doctoral degrees from George Fox University, in Newberg, Oregon. I learned a variety of clinical approaches that I still use today including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

 

For seven years I served as the Autism Program Director for Western Psychological & Counseling Services (now Lifestance Health). Together with colleagues, I created one of the first multidisciplinary autism programs in the Portland, Oregon metro area. This  gave me experience in healthcare administration and the nuances that come with it. I also gained perspective on caregiver burnout as well as the varied experiences of those who identify as neurodivergent. During this time I continued working directly with clients doing both ADHD/Autism evaluation and therapy. 

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic I pivoted again, this time from healthcare into corporate operations work, eventually reaching the role of Chief Operating Officer for a small company. This role allowed me to use my analytical and people skills in a new way. I was given a front row seat to the joys and struggles of modern day corporate work from the employee to the C-suite level. It confirmed that our work environments play a huge role in our overall happiness and mental health. 

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I returned to private practice for better work-life balance and to better engage with my value of helping others. My practice reflects my strengths and experiences: analytics and problem solving, connection with others, and finding meaning as life happens around us.