Welcome! I'm Amy, and I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and have been practicing psychotherapy for 7 years. I earned my Master's in Social Work at the University of Southern California (USC). As a therapist, I seek to understand your unique experience and support you in identifying reasons you feel and behave the way you do. I work collaboratively and non-judgmentally with you to explore and discover practical changes you can make that will improve mental clarity, increase joy, and lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life. One of my specialties is working with high-achieving adults who struggle with perfectionism, unrealistic expectations of themselves or others, and who have difficulty feeling good enough or have been told they are not good enough in some way. I support you in exploring your goals and re-framing thoughts charged with perfectionism to thoughts more realistic and with the goal to strive for excellence rather than shoot for achieving the non-existent "perfection" in one or more areas of your life.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, I will work to get to know you by asking you questions about your goals for therapy and if you have seen a therapist before, ask you to fill me in on what styles and approaches worked for you and did not work for you in the past. That way, I can get a better idea of how to support you and what you want to focus on at this time.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My clients say that I have a sharp memory to remember things they have told me a while ago, and I am an active and empathic listener. I participate in my client's sessions, and I am not just a passive listener to vent to. I work on building a trusting relationship with my clients and exploring patterns that may be holding you back as well as teaching skills to help you meet your goals.