Michele D'Amico Brings Clinical Psychology to Executive Coaching

Most executive coaches lead with frameworks. Michele D'Amico leads with a clinical understanding of how people actually work. She holds a PsyD in clinical psychology, and that training sits underneath everything she does with the leaders she coaches.

Michele D'Amico is the founder of Vetta Leadership, where she specializes in leadership transformation grounded in human behavior, emotional intelligence, and psychological safety in the workplace. A member of the Entreprenista League, she has spent 17 years building a coaching practice and a reputation she is proud of. That longevity is the part of her story she returns to first.

"What sets me apart from other coaches is my expertise in human behavior, emotional intelligence, and psychological safety in the workplace," Michele says.

Here is how a long career and a clinical degree became a distinct approach to coaching leaders.

A long line of entrepreneurs

Michele comes from a family of entrepreneurs, and she counts herself one at heart. The pull toward building something of her own was there pretty much from the start.

Before founding Vetta Leadership, she worked in marketing and B2B sales. Then she went back for her PsyD in clinical psychology, and the two halves of her background came together. The commercial instinct and the clinical training would eventually shape a coaching practice that speaks fluently to both the boardroom and the person sitting in it.

What sets the work apart

Plenty of coaches talk about emotional intelligence. Michele built her practice on the science behind it.

Her expertise in human behavior and psychological safety is the foundation of how she coaches, rather than an add-on to it. She works with upper management and C-suite leaders, and with women business owners who want to lead with more clarity and confidence.

The approach is heart-centered and grounded in psychology at the same time, which is a rare combination in a field crowded with quick fixes.

Seventeen years and a name she trusts

Ask Michele what she is most proud of, and the answer is plain.

"That I have been able to survive for the last 17 years," she says. "I have built a name and reputation that I am very proud of."

She is candid that the road included hard stretches. The one thing she wishes she had known at the start was simply that there would be tough times. Staying in business through nearly two decades is its own kind of accomplishment, and she does not pretend otherwise.

Recent wins and what fuels her

Michele has recently added author to her work, publishing a couple of books that extend her thinking on leadership beyond the coaching room.

She is also clear about what keeps her steady. She listens to her body, lets some workdays run long and others stay short, and protects her energy on purpose. She plays pickleball, travels whenever she can, volunteers, and, by her own cheerful admission, studies serial killers. Her best advice for aspiring founders fits her style. "Do it."

What's next

Looking ahead, Michele plans to keep doing what she does best. More coaching, more speaking, and likely more writing.

The throughline is consistency. After 17 years, she has built a practice that reflects exactly who she is, and her plan is to keep deepening it rather than reinventing it.

You can follow Michele on LinkedIn and learn more about her coaching at vettaleaders.com.

If Michele's approach to psychology-grounded executive coaching resonates, the Entreprenista League is a community of women founders who value connection, shared experience, and practical business insight as they grow. Learn more about the Entreprenista League right here.