Therapist profile
Tamara Spears, LMSW
Michigan
LMSW - Codependency and relationship concerns
Continue with TamaraWhere Tamara stands
- Credentials
- LMSW
- License
- LMSW, Michigan / 6801085567
- NPI
- 1053402677
- Experience
- 25 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Michigan
About
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Attachment-focused work
About Tamara
Tamara Spears is an LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) practicing in Michigan with 25 years of experience. She works with adults who face stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, codependency, ADHD, addiction concerns, and issues around grief and trauma. Her background is in social services and both inpatient and outpatient therapy settings.
Tamara uses a straightforward, person-centered approach. Sessions are interactive and focus on practical steps that can be applied between meetings. She draws on cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior ideas, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients notice patterns and try new ways of responding.
Her work also draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships influence present behavior. Tamara talks with clients about boundaries, communication, and patterns such as people-pleasing and overresponsibility. She frames these patterns in plain language and looks for small changes that make daily life easier.
When someone brings career stress, parenting strain, or recovery concerns, she combines problem-solving with skills practice. Sessions can include goal-setting, behavior experiments, and homework to test what works. The emphasis is on clear steps rather than labels.
Tamara values direct, respectful conversation and aims to keep sessions focused and usable. To begin, she asks about current struggles, what the client hopes to change, and what has or hasn’t worked before. That information guides the plan for short-term and longer-term work.
How sessions work
How Tamara’s approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values-based action so clients can make different choices even when emotions are hard to change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to test and change unhelpful patterns. Attachment-Based Therapy examines how early relationship patterns show up now and helps people try new ways of relating and setting boundaries.Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. The therapist and client decide together which approaches fit the client's goals, needs, and preferences. That collaborative process may shift over time as new priorities emerge or early strategies show their limits.
The original biography does not list specific session formats for online work, so confirm the current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. They also make it possible to try skills in real-life settings between meetings and then review what happened during the next session. Licensed professionals often combine conversation, worksheets, and behavior experiments in remote sessions to keep practical progress moving forward.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Michigan
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of codependency-related problems does she address?
She helps people who keep putting others first, struggle to say no, or lose themselves in relationships. Common topics include people-pleasing, boundary difficulties, and living with someone else's mood or drinking.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is person-centered and interactive with a practical focus. Sessions emphasize clear steps, skills practice, and talking through real-life situations.
How much experience does she bring?
She has 25 years of experience in social services and in inpatient and outpatient therapy settings. That history informs her approach to a wide range of concerns.
What credentials and location should I know about?
She is an LMSW, which stands for Licensed Master Social Worker, and she practices in Michigan.
Do sessions take place in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options before booking to know whether video, phone, or in-person visits are offered.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing depends on the selected plan and region.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.