Counselor Spotlight: Amy Beth Spence

Amy Beth Spence

Licenced counselor at The Grove Counseling & Wellness Center.

We are excited to have Amy Beth Spence as a part of our clinical team here at The Grove Counseling & Wellness Center. Amy Beth Spence, M.S., LPC Intern, NCC has been with The Grove since 2018, and has many specialized skills—including Level I Gottman Certified, Humanistic Orientation, and Mindfulness. Her areas of focus include depression, anxiety, trauma, family violence, relationships, adults and adolescents.

Here’s our recent conversation with Amy:

Where did you study?
I obtained my undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University (wreck 'em!) and my Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Texas A&M University-Commerce. 

What are you passionate about lately?
I have been reading and learning a lot about ways to engage the entire nervous system and body during therapy. As a dancer through my college days, somatic modalities really feel like the marriage of all of my favorite things. I am especially passionate about working with those with trauma, and utilizing the body in trauma work is so clinically effective. It's important that clinicians and clients work together to cultivate mind-body wellness that every person is capable of. Our brains and bodies are built to be capable of amazing things! 

What are you currently reading?
I try to read one therapy-related and one non-therapy read at a time to keep myself up-to-date but also grounded in the world outside of the counseling bubble. Right now, I am reading Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown. Her very Texas wit and genuineness make her books palatable and thought-provoking for anyone. I am also reading The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule to satisfy my true-crime obsession. 

What are you currently listening to? 
I am currently on a comedy kick...podcasts, standup, or anything that will a little sunshine to these short winter days!

Why do you love being a counselor?
Every day is just a little bit different; each client and their experience of the world pushes me in different ways. I very much enjoy getting to know a client and getting the privilege of seeing the world through their eyes. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a client really come into their own through the therapeutic process; I love to watch people develop insight into their strengths, and utilize them to take charge of their own story. 

Do you have fur babies, and who are they?
I have a dog named Dixie, a mutt my younger sister rescued and gifted to me. Since she is getting older, she spends most of her days just sleeping—and very dramatically rolling her eyes at me when I wake her. 

What’s your deep dark secret?
I am secretly a coffee mug hoarder. I love to receive/buy them, and I can’t bear getting rid of them. I have more mugs than I do anything else in my kitchen.