Wendie Vanderwater , LCSW

Wendie Vanderwater, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), has 22 years of experience helping people navigate stress, anxiety, relationships, trauma, and a wide range of life challenges. She brings a straightforward, honest style to therapy and strives to be real and nonjudgmental, believing many people are harder on themselves than they need to be.

Her approach draws from multiple treatment methods and is tailored to what works for each individual. She discusses options with clients and lets them choose how they want to work - whether they prefer practical homework tasks or a focus on in-session exploration. Treatments are often combined, for example integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and she commonly incorporates mindfulness practices alongside journaling to help clients connect with their feelings.

Wendie uses DBT on a daily basis and values mindfulness as an important element of care. She asks thoughtful questions to identify needs and treats challenges as opportunities to discover strategies that fit each person. She encourages active steps toward wellbeing, such as volunteering or joining a book club, and partners with clients to build a plan that reflects their goals and preferences.

Based in Montana, Wendie offers an approachable, collaborative style aimed at practical progress and personal insight.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Wendie draws on several evidence-informed approaches in her online practice. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, focuses on building skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness - it is often used for managing intense emotions and improving relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns through practical strategies and often includes goal-oriented exercises. Mindfulness practices teach present-moment awareness and gentle attention to thoughts and feelings, which can support coping with stress and increase emotional clarity.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Wendie works collaboratively with clients and asks questions to discover what they need, combining methods when appropriate and tailoring the plan to match each person’s goals, preferences, and pace.

Online therapy with Wendie makes these approaches accessible through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options offer flexibility to fit therapy into busy lives, reduce travel time, and allow consistent work on skills and goals from wherever a client is located within the therapist’s service area. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and collaborations to each communication format to support ongoing progress.