Amanda Prendergast

Are you having trouble in life or in your relationships? I can offer the effective and compassionate support you need. I help clients to build rich, meaningful lives that are psychologically and physically more healthful. I specialize in helping people to heal their relationships and change destructive cycles. I honor the courage it takes for people to come to therapy and explore difficult issues, and strive to create a safe and empowering environment for my clients.

***PLEASE NOTE: I do not accept insurance for couples therapy. All my couples therapy services are out-of-pocket expenses. Please be sure to sign up as Cash (Out-of-Pocket) if booking with me for couples therapy. You can visit my website at http://amandaptherapy.com/ if you have additional questions.

I practice with a warm, attuned approach that emphasizes self-acceptance, compassion, and change. As a therapist, I work to cultivate a space that balances empowerment and warmth with thoughtful challenge, so clients feel safe enough to explore their struggles and motivated to grow through them. I help people relate to their thoughts and feelings differently so that they can focus on building meaning and fulfillment, and approach therapy as both a learning and a healing process.

I'm part of the mental health team at the Curtis Institute of Music, where I work with conservatory students. This experience has deepened my understanding of the pressures and dynamics of high-performance environments and informs my approach, particularly when working with individuals navigating self-esteem issues, the demands of creative and professional pursuits, and the nuanced difficulties of modern relationships and digital culture.

I have had extensive supervision and advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and am passionate about helping individuals and couples to break free from negative cycles of communication and conflict. EFT research shows that 70% of couples move from marital distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements.

During our first session, we'll spend time getting to know each other and clarifying what's bringing you in. I'll ask you questions and invite you to share at your own pace, using our conversation, your intake questionnaire, and outcome measurement scores to better understand your areas of need. From there, I'll offer initial clinical impressions and a general sense of what therapy with me might look like—while also making space to talk openly about preferences and whether working together feels like the right fit.

As our work unfolds, my aim is to have you leave each session with a more compassionate self-view, a greater understanding of your emotions and thoughts, and a simple action plan: something practical to take away and use to actively make a difference in your life. My priority is to help you relate to yourself and others with with a greater sense of curiosity and kindness.