Hi, I'm Amanda, and I'm glad you're here! You have likely stumbled upon my profile because you or someone you love is in need of support to reflect and develop a better understanding of emotional needs and how to meet them, both internally and within relationships. Finding a therapist with whom you connect and feel safe is immensely important! I believe in welcoming all parts of each client to session for a whole person approach. I work to create a safe and judgment-free environment through authentic connection, humor, and a focus on client strengths.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
It's okay to be nervous for our first session! It can be intimidating to meet someone new, especially in this setting. Your first session with me will be fairly straight-forward - I like to start with building an understanding of the difficulties that brought you here, and then discuss some of your personal history to get some context for how you have experienced life prior to our meeting. You can expect a series of open-ended questions to facilitate this process, but know that you don't have to tell me anything you aren't ready to say, and you are always able to decline to answer. If you are someone who prefers more structured questions, I can do that as well. Please always feel free to ask for what you need and tell me what you feel isn't working - this is a collaborative effort, and I will always do my best to accommodate!
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
This is no sterile, stuffy practice - I bring my personality to sessions and I am open to talking about myself as it is relevant and helpful to you! I am also not hesitant to challenge you to think more deeply about long-standing thoughts and feelings that get in your way. I seek to nurture a balance between validation and pushing you outside of your comfort zone so that you can grow toward your goals.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I love to work with LGBTQIA+ individuals in all walks of life and with a variety of concerns related to identity, relationships, societal factors, and the ability to love oneself fully. I also have a passion for helping others work through religious trauma and deconstruction of belief systems they feel no longer serve them.
About Amanda Smith
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Attachment-based
From the very beginning of life, we are each shaped by the qualities of our connections with our caregivers, family, friends, and society at large. Through exploration of relationships and patterns, we can identify the origins of present relational difficulty and work toward making changes to thoughts and actions in order to bring about greater peace and security with others. I have used this method for over a decade with great success!
Strength-Based
We all have differing levels of proficiency in every aspect of life - in my practice, I have always sought to connect personal strengths with desired outcomes, taking a tailored approach to each client in my care.
Gender-affirming therapy
I have been practicing gender-affirming therapy for around 7 years and with great outcomes! I have worked with trans, non-binary, and gender questioning individuals across the lifespan to deepen understanding and acceptance of self, feel empowered to advocate for self, and navigate social, emotional, and physical changes as applicable.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Have you ever found yourself describing your feelings as "part" of you feels one way, and another "part" feels another? For the last five years, I have been utilizing IFS to help clients notice, identify, and interact with the multiplicity that lives within us all. We each have the answers we need within, we just have to tap into the wisdom of our parts.
Trauma Informed Care
I have created a focus on providing trauma informed care from my very roots in graduate school, finding a great need within the population to establish safety, understand symptoms, and expand on points of resilience. Keeping traumas, whether one big incident or a compounding list, buried in secrecy often guarantees suffering, but building a relationship with a clinician who sees you, hears you, and validates your experience can be a catalyst to healing.