Hi, I'm Amanda Smith and I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. I began my Marriage and Family Telehealth practice in California out of a desire to use my life experience, education, and faith to help serve the emotional and behavioral health needs of our community and state. Through my experience in all levels of treatment, I have discovered that building rapport through a supportive relationship in therapy creates a safe and positive space to work through life's difficulties, understand important issues, learn new and effective coping skills, and develop full relationships to lead a more authentic life.
My approach
Since everyone is on a different journey through life, not all treatment modalities are as effective. I have trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Motivational Interviewing, Seeking Safety, and Superhero Therapy.
My focus
I believe in working together to create treatment goals and exploring areas of growth. My passion has been to help those who are struggling with eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues, among many others.
My communication style
I truly believe in using holistic therapy considering mental, physical, and spiritual factors that influence a person's well-being and seeking to help people heal and thrive on a deeper level. Therapy should be a place that feels warm and safe to discuss all of life's challenges.
My journey to mental healthcare
In my youth, I often had friends approach me about their problems and they would always see me as a person they could trust with their secrets. This started a passion for me of being there for people in their struggles and supporting them through some of the best and worst moments in their life.
My goals for you
My approach is that therapy should be client-oriented and focus on what your goals are rather than therapist-led. I would love to work together with you to help you start on the path that you would like for yourself.
My first session with you
The first session is about getting to know you and what your expectations are for therapy. There is no pressure to go really deep, but just focus on what your goals are and how you would like to approach treatment. If this is your first therapy experience, you can look forward to a casual conversation about yourself, goals, and how we can work together to help you get closer to those goals.