Personal Information My name is Amy Bowen, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in McLoud, Oklahoma. I bring my own unique combination of professional training, personal skills, and life experiences to my therapy practice.
Before I became a psychotherapist, I was in banking operations and management for around 20 years. At the age of 37, I decided to go back to school to finish my higher education goals and pursue a passion of mine since the first time I took a psychology class in high school. I completed my internship during my graduate studies in 2012-2013 under the supervision of a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at The Center for Christian Counseling and Care in Shawnee, Oklahoma. I completed my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in August, 2015. In August, 2018 I became licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Behavioral Health, and in January, 2019 I opened my private practice, Countryside Counseling, PLLC.
I think real life experiences inform any therapist’s work. I have personally known the pressures of the banking and management world, layoffs, office politics, a major career change, financial problems, being in relationships with those that have addictions, infertility and treatments, a child with anxiety issues, cycle of weight gain and loss, anger, panic attacks, relationship issues with family members, childhood trauma, and many of the other stressors that can make modern life feel hard. I have been married since 1999 and the mother of a young adult boy. I know both the joys and challenges of marriage and parenting.
I strive to bring a practical mindset into our work, along with compassion, imagination, a relaxed atmosphere, and an appreciation for all seasons in each individual’s life. I create a space that is non-judgmental, supportive, and collaborative with each client in order to help his or her growth process. I am an attachment-based therapist that incorporates the understanding and insight of past relationships and unmet needs to help heal current relationship issues. I also use a systemic approach that places an emphasis on family and community. Reprocessing past negative or traumatic experiences to decrease current responses are also a focus in my practice. By nature, I am goal-oriented, but the goals and the timeframes are based on my client's input and needs. I am a lifelong student who reads books and studies research on a weekly basis concerning various topics in mental health and human behavior that could potentially help my clients. I continue to add to my skills by taking additional in-depth training courses every year.
Formal Educational Information Graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology/Life Coaching Cognate from Liberty University, 2013 Graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University, 2015 Completed the Advanced Diploma in Christian Life Coaching, Light University Online, 2013
Certifications/Training/Certifications in Progress Certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior (TF-CBT) Therapist EMDR Parent-Child & Attachment Specialist Certified Shame-Informed Treatment Specialist (CSTS) Completed 24 CEU's by a TBRI® Practitioner in Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI) Completed Basic EMDR training and specialty training, and I am in the process of being supervised to become certified. Completed Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFiT) Level One training. Completed the "CBT for Weight Loss and Maintenance Workshop" from the Beck Institute.