About AMANDA WALLINGSFORD, LMFT-S
My Personal Philosophy
I am a person who sees the good in everyone. I trust people have good intentions. I know people want to make positive changes and be their best self, but often they don’t know how to do so. I wholeheartedly believe all people are worthy of love and deserving of a fulfilling life.
At the same time, I know life is not so easy sometimes. In fact for some, the road has been difficult for what may feel like forever. Perhaps the difficulties stem from traumatic experiences, a difficult childhood, unhealthy relationships, loss, or perceived failure.
Whatever it is, I’m ready to help you work through it. I will create a safe, trusting, and authentic environment to support you in your personal growth. I specialize in helping people find their inner strength, build their self-esteem, and live up to their full potential.
Formal Education
Ever since I was a little girl I have been a deeply empathetic person. At a very young age I recognized that some people struggled more than others as a result of underlying mental health issues, difficult childhoods, traumatic events, and societal challenges such as poverty. Through various people and significant events, I saw how these types of struggles impacted people’s well-being. Eventually I knew my calling was to become a therapist who could help people through their pain. To achieve this vision, I attended Vanderbilt University to study Human and Organizational Development with an emphasis in Health and Human Services for my undergraduate degree. Additionally, I minored in Child and Adolescent Development.
Instead of going directly in to graduate school, I decided that I first wanted to gain real life professional experience. I wanted to extend my knowledge beyond books and classroom lecture. During that time, I learned that I best aligned with the values and teachings of Marriage and Family Therapy because of the discipline’s emphasis on how relationships and systems impact nearly everything we do. Therefore, after five years of practical experience, I entered graduate school at San Diego State University where I earned a Master’s degree in Counseling.
Professional Experience
Professionally, I have over 20 years experience working in mental health with children, teens, families, and adult individuals whose lives have been impacted by trauma, mental illness, poverty, oppression and marginalization. I worked in community organizations for a majority of those years, providing therapy and supervisory services in juvenile justice prevention and intervention, homeless and runaway youth shelters, crisis management, and intensive case management for seriously emotionally disturbed. All of these programs were family-centered and strength-based, valuing the inclusion of each family member and focusing on the inherent strengths of each individual. In addition, a large chunk of my experience comes from working at a leading trauma-informed agency in Chula Vista, California. My professional roles over the years include residential manager, case manager, therapist, program coordinator, program director, clinical supervisor, and program specialist.
Personal Experience
Who I am as a therapist has also been significantly shaped by my experience of being a therapy client. During times of struggle or when I want to work on a personal goal, I turn to therapy for support. Therefore, I know what it feels like to be a new client, to be vulnerable enough to show my raw self, and to try different interventions. I keep my experience of being a client at the forefront of my mind to ensure that I always remain in-tune with what my client may be experiencing.
Theoretical Orientation and Modalities
Combining my experience as a client and as a professional, I lean towards client-centered, family systems, attachment, cognitive behavioral, and solution-focused theories. I hold myself to very high standards in regards to being culturally sensitive and responsive. I always operate from a trauma-informed and strength-based lens. I often incorporate art as an intervention technique if the client is interested. I am also formally trained or certified in the following modalities:
· EMDR Certified (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
· TCYM Certified (Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method) · TFCBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
Personal Passions
Aside from supporting clients to elevate their lives through therapy, I stretch myself in a few other areas. First, I feel passionate about supporting developing therapists so I do this through being a mentor (through the Minority Fellowship Program with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy), providing clinical supervision to Associate MFTs, and facilitating workshops or trainings for people in the helping fields. I have also recently written a book, Embody Your Worth, which I foresee being a valuable resource for those who want to improve their relationship with themselves and how they show up in the world.
Committed to Excellence
I hold myself to extremely high standards and values. This includes prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion. While my bloodline is half Caucasian and half Hispanic, and I am fluent in Spanish, I am well aware of my privilege as a white cisfemale. I have taken understanding culture very seriously throughout my personal life and studies. I commit to you to always monitoring my privilege and remaining culturally sensitive and responsive to the best of my ability. Should you think I am falling short with this, I welcome the constructive observation and feedback.