Wendie VanderwaterLCSW

Wendie Vanderwater is a licensed clinical social worker with 22 years of experience who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship and pregnancy and childbirth related concerns. She speaks plainly and aims to be honest and nonjudgmental so people feel heard. She invites clients to choose how they work in sessions and to set the pace that feels right for them.

Her style blends practical tools with everyday tasks. She often combines approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy to match what a person needs. Mindfulness and simple practices such as journaling are used to help people notice feelings and build small habits that support change.

Wendie asks pointed questions to uncover what will help someone most. She talks through options like whether to include homework between sessions or keep the focus inside the therapy hour. She sees problems as puzzles to solve together rather than fixed labels.

Outside of talk work she encourages activities that boost mood and connection, such as volunteering or joining community groups. This is part of her belief that action supports recovery and personal growth.

Wendie maintains a client-centered approach, listening first and tailoring interventions to the person in front of her. Her aim is to help people build skills they can use day to day and to find realistic ways to feel better over time.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the person's goals and preferences, so sessions focus on what the client wants to work on and how they prefer to proceed. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, actions, and feelings, and helps people try small experiments to change unhelpful patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, adds practical skills for managing strong emotions and improving relationships, including grounding, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation techniques.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will listen, suggest options, and adjust methods based on the client’s goals and what feels useful. This is a collaborative process and can change as needs evolve.

The original biography does not list which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Many people find online sessions helpful because they can fit appointments into a busy day, reduce travel time, and use shorter check-ins when needed. Online work can also make it easier to try skills between sessions, use written exercises like journaling, and practice mindfulness in real-life moments.