Amanda Schmidt

I received my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. I have also pursued post-graduate training in psychodrama, relational psychoanalysis, sand tray therapy, gestalt therapy, mindfulness, and physical theater. In my personal life, I have been a dedicated practitioner of yoga and meditation for 24 years.

I work primarily with individual adults, and I am a particularly good fit for people who have tried talk therapy before and found that it "plateaued;" people often seek me out to go deeper on their journey. My clients struggle with issues including anxiety, depression, complex trauma, PTSD, relationship issues, grief, life transitions, and identity questions.

I am also a performing artist and work well with artists who may be experiencing issues relating to creative work, such as writing blocks, procrastination, stage fright, dissociation, and excessive self-criticism/perfectionism.

Also, for those drawn to depth-oriented therapy: I have 15 years of experience working with archetypal images (such as tarot cards), symbols, and dreams. Many clients have been drawn into my practice who are recovering from religious trauma and are interested in reconnecting with their spirituality through a different lens. Others are artists who feel connected to the language of symbols and find it to be a potent pathway to new perspectives and meaning. I am happy to integrate these modalities into the therapeutic work for those who request it.

My approach to therapy is rooted in a "parts model" (similar to the "parts" in Internal Family Systems). In this model, we envision the client as being made of many different parts that can strengthened or gently quieted. Much of the therapeutic work involves developing self-awareness and self-acceptance, as well as building the skills to integrate these parts so they work well as a whole team inside of you. For example, if you struggle with anxiety, you may have an "anxious part," but there are many other parts of you beyond your anxiety. With practice, you can learn to connect with other parts when you're feeling anxious that can help you to feel grounded and safe.

My work is also experiential, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive. In brief, this means I will help you connect more deeply with your body in this moment, respect your boundaries and prioritize your safety in our work, validate the impact of cultural systems on your mental health, and support you as the authority of your experiences and choices.

Many people find that, through this work, they feel more empowered. They may have fewer experiences in which a mental health challenge is "happening to them," and instead feel that they have the awareness and skills to navigate difficulties as they arise. In my view, mental wellness does not mean you will never experience sadness, fear, anger, or other uncomfortable states of being, but it means you can make new choices about how to respond to these states that better support you in “weathering life's storms.”

In our first few sessions, we will develop an initial road map for the work ahead, which involves clarifying the issues that are currently causing difficulty for you, determining your goals for therapy, and highlighting your unique strengths that we can draw from in the work together. I will provide more information about the “parts model” approach so that you understand the reasoning for the methods we will use in the work. And most importantly, I will listen closely, respect your boundaries, and let you take the lead so we can develop a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship that unfolds at your pace.