Amanda Marchak is an Associate Clinical Social Worker who creates a holistic, identity-affirming therapeutic environment where clients can reconnect with their sense of worth and authenticity while healing from life's deepest challenges.

With specialized expertise in trauma recovery, anxiety, and depression, she brings a comprehensive approach that addresses internalized shame, fosters self-compassion, and reshapes limiting personal narratives. Amanda particularly enjoys working with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions, especially those struggling with internalized shame, critical self-talk, and identity-related challenges across the lifespan, understanding that healing happens when people feel genuinely seen, accepted, and supported in their growth.

Her therapeutic approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), along with elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Narrative Therapy. This comprehensive framework allows her to provide individualized, holistic care that addresses both trauma symptoms and the broader context of clients' identities and life experiences. Amanda's methodology is grounded in trauma-informed principles and recognition of how race, class, gender, sexuality, health, and ability impact mental health, ensuring that therapy feels inclusive and affirming for each client's full identity.

With a Master's degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach, and basic training in EMDR, Amanda brings strong academic foundations combined with evidence-based trauma treatment expertise. Her experience working with clients of all ages on concerns including trauma, mood disorders, and identity exploration has equipped her with a deep understanding of how these interconnected issues affect individuals across different developmental stages. This comprehensive preparation enables her to address complex presentations involving PTSD, emotion regulation challenges, life transitions, religious trauma, and identity exploration with both clinical skill and compassionate understanding.

Outside the therapy room, Amanda embodies the active, connected lifestyle she encourages in her clients through her passions for beach volleyball, surfing, and dancing—activities that reflect her understanding of the healing power of movement, play, and creative expression. She prioritizes spending quality time with friends and family, demonstrating her belief in the vital importance of meaningful relationships and community connection for mental health and overall well-being. These personal interests reflect her holistic approach to wellness and her appreciation for the joy and vitality that come from engaging fully with life.

• Amanda's EMDR training provides specialized trauma-informed care that helps clients process painful experiences in safe, manageable ways, allowing them to address trauma without becoming overwhelmed while building resilience and post-traumatic growth.

• Her holistic and identity-affirming approach recognizes the intersectional impact of race, class, gender, sexuality, health, and ability on mental health, creating inclusive therapeutic spaces where clients feel fully seen and supported in all aspects of their identity.

• Amanda's focus on shame transformation and narrative reconstruction helps clients uncover and shift internalized messages that fuel self-criticism, building new stories rooted in self-compassion, resilience, and authentic self-worth that support lasting change.