Amy Schere, LCSWA

Therapist | aschere@3rdwavetherapy.com | 919-886-4052

Each person comes to therapy with a unique story to tell. My role is to listen to your story, witness both your struggles and your successes, and empower you to make the changes you want. With a background as a healthcare provider, I understand how deeply connected the mind and body are. My therapeutic approach is client-centered, holistic, and designed to address mind and body together as one. I also practice from an anti-oppressive, body positive/Health at Every Size, and inclusive perspective.

I draw from both skills-based and process-based therapies. With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I help clients explore their values, increase psychological flexibility, and take meaningful steps toward what matters most. I also integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS), which allows clients to explore the different “parts” of themselves with compassion and curiosity, promoting healing and self-understanding. In addition, I use evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD to help clients build practical coping skills and reduce symptoms in daily life.

I specialize in working with individuals living with chronic pain and host a Pain Reprocessing Therapy group, where clients learn evidence-based techniques to retrain the brain’s response to pain, reduce fear and avoidance, and reclaim a sense of safety in their bodies. This work is deeply influenced by both my healthcare background and my commitment to trauma-informed, neurobiologically grounded care.

Whether you are navigating chronic pain, processing trauma, or seeking a more compassionate relationship with yourself, my goal is to provide a supportive environment where healing and growth are possible.

• Treatment Specialties

  • Social Anxiety

  • Depression & Mood Disorders

  • Eating Disorder Treatment

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

  • PTSD, Trauma, & Abuse Recovery

  • Stress Management, Self-Growth, & Coping Tools

  • Maternal Mental Health

  • Anxiety

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Services Provided

  • Individual Therapy

  • Therapy Groups

• Education

  Master of Social Work, UNC-Chapel Hill
  Doctor of Physical Therapy, Columbia University
  BA in Psychology, Cornell University

• Experience

  I came to the field of psychotherapy as a second career after more than a decade working in healthcare as a physical therapist in both inpatient and outpatient settings. This experience gave me a strong understanding of the connection between physical and emotional health, and the unique challenges people face in finding care that addresses both.

  After completing my Master of Social Work, I trained in a variety of clinical settings, including this organization and a substance use rehabilitation center. Through these experiences, I worked with clients navigating a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, mood disorders, chronic pain, disordered eating, trauma, and perinatal mood disorders.

  My clinical focus includes helping clients living with chronic pain and other physical symptoms through a mind-body approach, drawing on Pain Reprocessing Therapy. I also integrate process-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) (“parts work”) into my practice. In addition, I have received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, which I incorporate as needed to support each client’s goals.

• Insurances

  Blue Cross Blue Shield

  Aetna

  North Carolina State Health Plan