Ami Cantway, LICSW

Ami Cantway is a Minnesota licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) who helps people facing relationship strain, family conflict, parenting stress, low self-esteem, and life changes. She emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in sessions. Ami frames therapy as a collaborative effort and tailors conversations to each person's situation.

She uses straightforward conversation to identify practical steps clients can try between meetings. Ami draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness to teach skills for managing thoughts, emotions, and difficult situations. Sessions focus on skills people can apply in daily life to reduce shame, improve communication, and rebuild confidence.

With nine years of professional experience, Ami has worked with people dealing with divorce and separation, fertility and parenting concerns, chronic illness and pain, and attachment or codependency issues. She also supports those facing isolation, guilt, or questions about life purpose. Her work often centers on helping clients find clearer values and steady coping routines.

Ami adapts the pace to each person, balancing listening with practical tools. She encourages small experiments outside of sessions to test what helps. The aim is steady progress toward goals such as improved communication, healthier boundaries, or greater emotional balance.

To begin, Ami asks about current priorities and what has or hasn't worked before. She then co-creates a plan with steps you can try between meetings, checking in and adjusting as needed.

How these approaches translate to online sessions

Ami commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in her work. ACT focuses on helping people clarify their values and take small steps toward them, even when difficult thoughts or feelings show up. CBT helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and test new behaviors to reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning.

She also integrates mindfulness techniques to help people notice thoughts and body sensations without getting swept away. Mindfulness can be useful for managing anxiety, chronic pain, and strong emotions that get in the way of goals.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Ami collaborates with each person to choose methods that match their goals, pace, and preferences. She explains options, tries things out, and adjusts plans based on what helps most.

If you prefer online work, confirm the current session formats before booking since they are not detailed in the biography. Online appointments can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Licensed professionals can use these sessions to teach exercises, practice communication skills, and support behavior changes that translate into everyday life.