Lana Amawi

Born to parents who emigrated from Damascus, Syria to Connecticut, where they launched successful medical careers, Lana Amawi grew up an Arab-American in Kansas. She benefitted from early exposure to diverse cultures and seeing her parents pursue their dreams in a foreign country. These formative experiences inspired her to assist foreigners in progressing and advancing in the United States through her future role as an impactful therapist, consultant, and life coach. She embarked on her educational journey at the University of Kansas, where she expanded her passion for culture and language and ultimately earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and human development and family life in 1994.

Ms. Amawi launched her career as a mental health technician at the Menninger Clinic for a year while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in social work from Wichita State University and a mental health assistant at Charter Behavioral Health Systems before attaining a Master of Science in social administration from Case Western Reserve University. She subsequently served as a mental health specialist at the Center for Families and Children and the Southwest General Health Center, a schizophrenia research program manager at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, a clinical therapist and case consultant within the Arab American & Chaldean Council, and a psychiatric social worker with the Providence Hospital Behavioral Health Department and William Beaumont Hospital. Across numerous institutions, she has also lent her expertise as a medical social services social worker, a clinical supervisor and dual disorders counselor, an employee assistance program counselor, and an educational speaker.

Ms. Amawi has excelled as the owner and clinical therapist at Psychological Counseling Solutions, LLC since 2008 and as the chief executive officer, coach, and consultant at Coaching & Consultation Solutions, LLC since 2020. As an executive and a life coach, she works with clients to increase personal and professional goals. Among her most significant accomplishments is working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. A fluent Arabic speaker, she is particularly skilled in assisting people from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Europe. She possesses a deep understanding of the various cultural nuances and religions, which allow her to provide effective and inclusive support.

 Ms. Amawi’s contributions extend beyond her primary endeavors, co-authoring “Because You Matter: The Personal and Professional Stories of Health Care Warriors During COVID-19” in 2021 and acting as a liaison for NuDay Syria, a nonprofit organization that works to empower vulnerable women and children. In addition, she’s a dedicated member of the Charles F. Menninger Society, the National Association of Social Work, and the Northeast Ohio Social Work and Counselor Group.

Looking ahead, she strives to continue growing her nonprofit, Because You Matter, which aims to provide scholarships, mental health treatment, and other essential services to those in need—especially women and children who come to the United States from other countries. She strives to accumulate a substantial amount of funds for those in need.