About
Amanda Ducsak, MSW, LCSW
Owner and therapist behind Grounding River Counseling — approachable, easy-going, and down to earth.
Meet Amanda
Amanda Ducsak, MSW, LCSW, is the owner and therapist behind Grounding River Counseling. She's approachable, easy-going, and down to earth — and she values the therapeutic relationships she builds with every client and family she works with.
Amanda is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania and a Licensed Independent Social Worker in South Carolina, with 11 years of experience across hospice and bereavement care, in-home therapy, crisis residential services, juvenile probation, and outpatient practice. She earned both her Bachelor's (2014) and Master's (2017) degrees in Social Work from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, with a specialization in mental health.
Amanda opened her private practice in Doylestown in 2023, after years of community-based work at Lenape Valley Foundation and Family Service Association of Bucks County. That foundation shaped the honest, eclectic, and collaborative approach she brings to every session.
Who Amanda works with
Amanda works with children (ages 5+), preteens, teens, adults, and elders (65+), offering individual, family, and group therapy along with diagnostic and ADHD evaluations for children and teens. She is an ally to LGBTQ+ clients and to single parents, and welcomes families of every shape.
Children & teens
Individual therapy for ages 5+, grief counseling, diagnostic and ADHD evaluations, and practical parenting support.
Anxiety, depression & mood
Anxiety, stress, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood shifts that make daily life harder to carry.
Trauma & PTSD
Paced, trauma-focused work that builds coping skills and safety before going deeper.
Behavior, impulse control & self-esteem
Behavioral issues, impulsivity, self-harm, body image, and rebuilding a steadier sense of self.
Relationships at home & school
Peer relationships, school issues, and family conflict that keeps circling back.
Terminal & serious illness
Counseling for children with cancer, chronic pain, and families navigating a serious diagnosis.
Grief & bereavement
Support through loss at any stage, including anticipatory grief.
Adults & life transitions
Grief, caregiving, divorce, career change, and other seasons that reshape daily life.
Teens & juvenile justice
Specialized experience supporting teens involved in the juvenile probation system.
Custody evaluations
Objective, family-focused evaluations for parents and courts navigating custody decisions.
Schools, IEPs & 504s
Counseling support in school settings, plus help with accommodations, IEP and 504 meetings, and advocacy — along with consultation for businesses.
Family & elder care services
Beyond individual therapy, Amanda offers specialized planning and evaluation services for families, including:
- Elder care planning — hospice care coordination, nursing home transitions, and bereavement support for families caring for aging loved ones
- TBI (traumatic brain injury) therapy and support
- Custody evaluations
The rest of the team
Meet Lily
Lily occasionally accompanies Amanda at the office. She isn't there every day, and she only joins a session when a client asks for her company. If dogs aren't your thing — for any reason at all — just say so, and she'll stay out of the room. Everyone is welcome here either way.
Lily
Chief Comfort Officer & Lady of Mayhem
Lily's favorite thing in the world is simple: love. She has never met a stranger and believes everyone deserves a warm welcome, a wagging tail, and maybe a few extra belly rubs.
For the first six years of her life, Lily was a puppy mill mama before being rescued and finding the loving home she had always deserved. Today, she spends her days sharing the unconditional love she waited so long to receive, and it's one of the many reasons she's such a natural therapy dog.
Lily is equal parts sweet and independent. She's been known to open the refrigerator and help herself to a drink from the water cooler, proving she likes to solve problems on her own. Around home, she's affectionately known as the “House Hippo,” a nickname that fits her lovable personality perfectly.
She absolutely loves car rides, especially when they're headed to the office. Lily has figured out that if Mom is grabbing a coffee, there's a pretty good chance a pup cup is waiting for her too.
Although she's supposedly a chocolate Labradoodle, the jury is still out on exactly what she is. Whatever her breed, she's 100% Lily.
One of Lily's most special qualities is the way she connects with children. She has a gentle, intuitive way of making kids feel comfortable and safe, often communicating without needing a single word. Whether she's quietly sitting nearby, asking for a gentle pat, or simply offering her calm presence, Lily has a remarkable ability to help people relax and feel at ease.
If you ask Lily who her favorite person is, she'll tell you it's Mom without hesitation. As for Dad… let's just say she's still keeping him humble.
Lily is more than Amanda's companion. She's an important part of the Grounding River Counseling family, bringing comfort, connection, and plenty of smiles to everyone she meets.
“Amanda is a kind and caring therapist who always shows compassion. She is friendly and always willing to go above and beyond for her clients. For a little extra support, you may meet Lily, her sweet dog. I highly recommend Amanda (and Lily)!”
Her approach
Amanda meets clients where they are, believing therapy looks different for everyone. She's a good fit for families who want an eclectic, no-sugarcoating approach — honest, direct, and collaborative.
Therapeutic modalities
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Motivational interviewing
- Solution-focused therapy
- Strengths-based therapy
- Mindfulness
- Family systems
- Attachment-based therapy
- Compassion-focused therapy
- Culturally sensitive practice
- Trauma-focused therapy
- Narrative therapy
- Person-centered therapy
Clinical supervision
Amanda is an approved clinical supervisor for Licensed Social Workers (LSWs) working toward their Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential. She provides supportive, individualized supervision that helps clinicians build confidence, strengthen clinical skills, and meet Pennsylvania licensure requirements.
Sessions & logistics
Amanda offers individual and group therapy sessions, available in person or via telehealth, with Saturday availability for busy families. Grounding River Counseling is private pay, and Amanda provides superbills to help clients seek out-of-network insurance reimbursement, with sliding-scale options available.
Credentials at a glance
- Licensure
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Pennsylvania), Licensed Independent Social Worker (South Carolina)
- Education
- Bachelor of Social Work 2014 and Masters of Social Work 2017, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
- Experience
- 11 years across hospice, in-home, crisis, and outpatient care
- Supervision
- Approved clinical supervisor for Licensed Social Workers (LSWs) working toward clinical licensure