Welcome. It’s great you are attending to your needs by seeking therapeutic support. I am a therapist who will customize my approach to you. I create meaningful connections with my clients. In their own words, “Tonya gets me, and I leave sessions feeling relieved and motivated. She helps me see my humanity.” They describe feeling safe and accepted in therapy. Commonly, folks/couples seek therapy when navigating transitions such as loss, breakup/divorce, shifting parenting roles, or gender identity/sexual orientation alignment. Many seek therapy to address trauma, anxiety, and depression. Therapy would begin with us getting clear on your needs, and then setting achievable goals together.
Client Focus
Session Format: Couple, Family, Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult
Demographic Expertise: LGBTQ+, Women clients.
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) Builds skills in self-kindness and compassion toward others. It is especially helpful for people who struggle with shame or self-criticism.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Focuses on strengthening emotional bonds in couples or families. It helps people identify negative cycles and create more secure connections.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) A structured therapy that uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories. It is widely recognized for treating PTSD and trauma-related conditions.
- Feminist Therapy Addresses how gender roles, power, and social inequality affect mental health. It empowers clients to challenge limiting beliefs and systems.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Helps clients heal by working with different ‘parts’ of themselves, like inner critics or wounded children. It fosters harmony within the self.
- Somatic Therapy Helps clients notice how emotions are stored in the body. It uses breath, movement, and awareness for healing trauma and stress.
Approach Description: I center therapy around you and your needs. You will be seen, heard, and respected. I will listen for not only what you say in session, but also for what you don’t say. I will remember who and what matters to you. Together we will reflect on how your lived experiences and your identities (race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc) have shaped you. Building upon your existing strengths, we will practice self-compassion principles and learn methods to regulate your emotions to improve your well-being. I will teach other coping skills drawn from different models to meet your therapy goals. My therapy approach is informed by my education as a social worker and extensive training on different therapeutic models as described above. I am also guided by the wisdom gained from living more than 50 years on this planet.
Education & Credentials
Tonya Wells LMSW - Clinical
- Female
- License # 6801120865
- Licensed in Michigan
- Practicing Since 2022
Education: I am trained as an MSW and use a strengths-based approach to therapy. I also have training on different approaches such as: Emotionally Focused, Trauma, Internal Family Systems, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
Finances
Fees
- Average Session Fee $150/one hour session
- Affordable sliding scale therapy: apply if you may be eligible.
- Affordable/Sliding Scale Therapy available, income-based and circumstance-dependent.
- Accepts Insurance
- Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, McLaren Advantage
Tonya Wells Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available In-Person in Grosse Pointe, MI 48230 and Royal Oak, MI 48067
- Available Online for residents of Michigan
- Online Therapy Details: I offer online therapy through a protected version of zoom.
I can help ease the discomfort or nervousness about starting therapy. I create a therapy experience where my clients feel at ease. In my roles as daughter, sister, wife, mom, step-mom, mother-in-law, grandma, friend, and trusted work professional, I have learned how to connect with people. I look forward to connecting with you.
I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and that core value is a driving force in my life. Worth and dignity are central to therapy because sometimes you have to reflect it back to clients when they don't see it in themselves. I was fortunate enough to benefit from counselors believing in me when my personal journey included difficult and humbling moments. I am paying it forward with clients. Witnessing my clients better understand themselves, make small and large changes, and live better lives is very meaningful work.