Amy Simonds Taylor

I am a seasoned therapist experienced in working with kids, families, and adults. I have a master's degree in marriage and family therapy and a second master's degree in organization leadership and management. I've helped a lot of blended families and families dealing with interruptions caused by hospitalizations, incarceration (of a parent or child). I also work a lot with adults who need help coping with trauma; co-occurring disorders (substance abuse + another diagnosis); and managing depression and/or anxiety.

I'm very solution focused and present in my approach. I'm most interested in what you want. If you ask yourself now what you most want, an answer might come to mind, but you might also immediately criticize yourself for that answer or tell yourself why you can't have what you want . "I want to get married" (but I have social anxiety). "I want to l I've on my own" (but I'm too depressed and I can't afford it). I do a lot of work with the information in the parentheses; in what we tell ourselves about ourselves and about the situations we are in.

My first session is used to get to know you and learn what you are hoping to change. It will be a longer session, 90 minutes instead of 60. I'll complete a type of interview called a "bio-psycho-social" that includes information about your current issues/concerns, symptoms, and what your life is like right now (living situation, job/source of income, relationships with family/ friends/spouse, legal issues you may be facing, your current health status) and also collect some history (how long have you experienced symptoms, family history of illness and mental illness, education and early development, traumatic experiences). We'll then talk about how I can help you and what you'd like to focus on in our work together.