Amanda Ratz, LPC

Amanda Ratz is a Licensed Professional Counselor and certified K-12 School Counselor with experience supporting students ages 5+ through adulthood. Amanda enjoyed her extensive experience in the school setting supporting children’s social, emotional, behavioral, academic, and mental health needs. Amanda’s comprehensive work in the schools best informs her practice and the current challenges that students and parents may be experiencing. Amanda has always had deep compassion for people and how they are feeling mentally.

Amanda attended the University of Missouri in Columbia where she was a collegiate diver. Amanda earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and continued her education at Missouri Baptist University where she earned her Master’s degree in Education and Counseling. Amanda was supervised for an additional two years to become licensed to practice privately in pursuit of improving mental health outcomes for kids. 

Amanda enjoys building relationships with clients while creating a safe, welcoming, respectful, and non-judgmental therapeutic environment. Her focus is on meeting the child where they are, while utilizing a personalized, strengths-based and solution-focused approach. Amanda implements evidence-based strategies, practical tools, and coping skills that support emotional regulation that help foster a healthier lifestyle overall. Amanda incorporates play and hands on opportunities to connect with children and adolescents as they nurture their relationship while working on their specific goals. 

Amanda has experience treating anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, trauma, social challenges, relationship difficulties, stress, self-esteem, peer pressure, and negative self-talk. Amanda believes it is important to partner with parents in support of their child. Amanda stays in communication with the parent, sharing need-to-know observations, strengths she is noticing in their child, and techniques that are working well in session so that the parent can better help support the child at home. While a child is actively in therapy with Amanda, she is a consultant to parents as things come up as needed at home or at school. Amanda strives to be an active participant in the child’s growth as they work hard together to create positive change.