Meet Amanda
Hey! I’m so glad you’re here. My name is Amanda, and I’m a therapist. That means I’m here to listen and help you understand your feelings better—kind of like a coach, but for your heart and mind.
A lot of kids wonder, “What’s Amanda like?” So I thought I’d tell you a little about me, so you can feel a bit more like you know me before we meet.
A few things about me
I’m a mom, so I know what it’s like to have family around all the time—and I have a husband and two kids who keep our house pretty full. I grew up in North Carolina, and I was actually born in South America and adopted as a baby. Family is something I care a lot about. I’ve lived lots of different places, and I love going new places and having new experiences with people I care about.
My dogs (I could talk about them forever)
I have two dogs. One is a Scottish Terrier—those are the ones with the cute beards—and one is a Mini Australian Labradoodle. The Labradoodle gets into everything and is kind of a chaos gremlin, but I love her so much anyway. If you like dogs, you might see them sometime if we’re meeting virtually—or you might just hear them in the background!
What I love
I love reading—novels, books about how people work, all of it. I love learning new things, even stuff that’s tricky. I’m not good at sports (really, I’m terrible at sports!), but I actually love skiing, even though I only get to do it about once a year. I also meditate, which means I sit quietly and try to calm my mind. And more than anything, I love spending time with friends and family.
What our time together will feel like
When we work together, there’s no such thing as a “wrong” feeling or thought. You get to be exactly who you are—even if you’re having a tough time or feeling confused or sad or angry or anything in between. My job is to help you understand what’s going on inside you, not to judge you or tell you you’re doing anything wrong. We’ll talk, and I’ll listen, and together we’ll figure some stuff out. Sometimes that feels easy, and sometimes it feels hard, and both of those things are okay.
If You’re a Younger Kid
You might wonder what we’ll do when we meet. I won’t ask you to sit on a couch and talk about your feelings the whole time—that’s not really how kids work, and I know that!
Instead, we’ll use play and art to explore what you’re feeling. Maybe you’ll build something with blocks, draw a picture, play with toys, or create something that shows how you’re feeling inside. Sometimes the best way to understand our feelings is to show them, not just talk about them.
My office is a safe, fun place where you can be yourself—however you need to be. You can be quiet, silly, creative, or whatever feels right. There’s no “right way” to feel, and there’s no “wrong way” to play.
Together, we’ll figure out what’s going on inside you, and I’ll help you feel a little bit better.
Virtual Sessions
Sometimes I meet with kids online. If we meet on our computers, the work we do together is just as important and just as fun.
If you’re meeting with me over a video call, you’ll still get to use art, play, and whatever else helps you explore your feelings. Your space becomes part of our work together—whether that’s your bedroom, your kitchen, or anywhere else you feel comfortable. The connection and understanding we build is exactly the same.
