Amanda O’Neal, AMFT

she/her
COAST ASSOCIATE

Life presents obstacles, expected and unexpected. These experiences can be tough, especially if you feel there isn’t someone you can share with. Even if we have a solid support network, we can face stigma and personal barriers that prevent us from opening up. Therapy is a safe space to address internal or external conflict, seek personal growth, and restore balance in our lives. I am most effective with clients experiencing depression & anxiety, grief, life transitions, and family conflict by focusing on stabilization, managing symptoms, and fostering hope. Therapy can help you understand yourself in a more insightful way. Our relationship will be a space where you can be your most authentic self. I want you to know I’m in your corner regardless of what you bring into our space.

I focus first on building trust with my clients because it is the cornerstone of every therapeutic relationship. I would describe my style as a mix of insight-oriented and directive. I tailor my approach to best serve my clients’ needs. Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all, so it’s important to incorporate different types of tools and styles. You’ll find I am integrative and eclectic with the modalities I incorporate. I lean towards models of CBT, Attachment Theory, EFT, Humanistic, IFS, and Psychodynamic Theory.

Since we’re all multi-faceted, I’d like to share a bit about myself to help you better get to know me. My upbringing exposed me to two very different socioeconomic communities and cultures. I grew up in a blended family and am one of four children. I have a passion for floral and interior design, and anything spa related, it all rejuvenates me. These interests intersect with my work as a therapist; each brings a sense of calm, comfort, and taps into a sensory experience. I have done and continue to do my own therapeutic work as an individual and as a couple. I can attribute this to the growth I want for myself. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to various parts of the world and have an appreciation for different cultures. However, nothing feels better than coming home. In my downtime, recharging my batteries involves time with my loved ones & dogs, playing dominoes, practicing yoga, lighting candles, thrifting, and binging a good show. 

Before becoming a therapist, I had the privilege of working with various populations, including at-risk youth, older adults, members of the LGBTQI+ community, children in foster care, the low-income community, the homeless, dual-diagnosed, and severely mentally ill. I have experience providing therapy to children, families, and individuals, focusing on client-centered, solution-focused strategies. By using a multisystem approach, I educated clients and families about mental illness, medication-assisted treatment, and community resources. I’ve engaged clients in skill-building activities to promote independence, stability, and self-sufficiency, which equipped clients to better understand behavior and re-establish their lives. In my therapy practice, this experience guides me in supporting clients and attuning to their unique needs. 

Entering therapy asks you to be vulnerable and open to discussing the things that are difficult. To best support you, I will ask questions to gather information about your past and current history relevant to your presenting symptoms and problem. Getting into the details of what brought us together can feel emotionally taxing and draining. We can alleviate and manage those symptoms by creating a plan of action, focusing on coping skills, or utilizing new resources. In the long run, you will have a more profound sense of self and others. This deeper awareness will come in the form of empathy, understanding, and connecting the dots about how the past affects our present. You will develop skills to manage symptoms when they arise and notice a shift in how you address conflict, change, and problems. I’d like to think we are all a work in progress. There is always room for growth on our journey of self-discovery.

When you’re ready, I can’t wait to hear from you.