Amanda Walter

Therapy doesn't have to feel awkward, overly formal, or like you're talking to someone who just sits there and nods for 50 minutes. I work primarily with older teens and young adults who are navigating anxiety, depression, relationships, school or work stress, life transitions, or simply trying to figure out who they are and what they want.

My style is conversational, down-to-earth, and collaborative. I'll listen and give you space to process, but I'll also ask questions, help you connect the dots, offer a different perspective, and challenge you when it's helpful. There's room for humor, honesty, and the occasional reality check.

You don't need to have everything falling apart to come to therapy. Sometimes you just feel overwhelmed, stuck, or know that something isn't working anymore. My goal is for therapy to feel like a place where you can genuinely be yourself while we figure it out together.

I believe therapy works best when it feels like a conversation, not an interview. I’m an active therapist, which means I won’t just sit back and expect you to do all the talking. I’ll ask questions, help you notice patterns, offer different perspectives, and work with you to figure out what might actually help.

My approach is collaborative and flexible because not everyone needs the same thing from therapy. Some days you might need space to vent and process, while other days we might focus more on problem-solving, coping skills, boundaries, or challenging the way you’re thinking about something. I pull from CBT, DBT, and person-centered therapy, but I care much more about what works for you than fitting every session into one specific approach.

Above all, I want therapy to feel comfortable, genuine, and useful. Not like another thing you have to perform or have all the right answers for.

The first session is really about getting to know each other and figuring out what brought you to therapy. You don’t need to come prepared with the perfect explanation of what’s going on or know exactly what you want to work on, that’s something we can figure out together.

I’ll ask some questions about you, what life looks like right now, and what you’d like to be different. We’ll take it at your pace, and by the end, we’ll have a better idea of what you’d like to work toward and how therapy can support you.