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LMSW

Tamara Spears, LMSW

  • Experience25 years
  • LocationMichigan
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Self esteem, and Career
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Tamara

Tamara Spears is an LMSW with 25 years of experience in human services and clinical work, based in Michigan.

Background and approach

She has supported people facing stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, addiction-related concerns, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, trauma and abuse, and a wide array of other life challenges such as career strain, sleep and eating problems, and caregiver stress. Her background includes both inpatient and outpatient settings and decades of direct practice with complex and co-occurring difficulties.

Her therapeutic stance is warm, person-centered, and interactive, emphasizing respect, sensitivity, and compassion without stigmatizing labels. She draws from Internal Family Systems alongside cognitive and behavioral approaches to tailor care, and also weaves in attachment-based and client-centered principles to fit each person’s situation.

Sessions are collaborative, practical, and oriented to the client’s values and goals rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol. Tamara frames counseling as a partnership: she aims to guide, motivate, and encourage clients as they navigate change, build coping skills, and pursue more fulfilling lives.

She offers a flexible mix of strategies informed by long professional experience and adapts plans to meet individual needs.

Integrating evidence-based methods into online care

Internal Family Systems helps people notice and dialogue with the different parts of themselves, aiming to reduce inner conflict and heal parts that carry pain or protective roles. It can be useful for trauma responses, complex emotions, and patterns that feel stuck.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and building psychological flexibility through acceptance and mindfulness strategies combined with committed action, which can support coping with anxiety, depression, and life transitions.

Attachment-Based Therapy centers on understanding how early relational patterns influence current relationships and emotional regulation, helping people repair connection-based wounds and build healthier bonds.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey and will be determined collaboratively. The therapist works with clients to explore what methods resonate, tailoring techniques to each person’s needs, goals, and preferences rather than imposing a single model.

Online sessions offer practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and varied lifestyles. These formats allow ongoing work on coping skills, values-based goals, and relational patterns from a distance while maintaining continuity of care and regular contact as needed.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, trauma and grief, parenting and caregiver stress, career and life transition issues, and mood-related problems.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is person-centered, warm, and interactive, emphasizing respect and compassion while avoiding stigmatizing labels. She adapts techniques to each client's needs and goals.
What is her professional background?
She brings 25 years of experience in human services with work in both inpatient and outpatient settings and extensive clinical practice across many presenting problems.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an LMSW with licence number MI LMSW 6801085567 and practices from Michigan.
Which languages does she offer sessions in and does she accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
In what formats are sessions available?
Available session formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.
How is cost handled for therapy with her?
Cost varies depending on 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?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietySelf esteemCareer difficultiesDepressionADHD

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsDivorce and separationForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressSelf-loveSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

25+ years

Licensed

Michigan

Languages

English