https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog daily 0.75 2022-12-06 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog/how-my-bathroom-reno-taught-me-about-imperfection-acceptance-and-grace monthly 0.5 2022-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1670006844557-0KQUZNOB18CO9LFSPZV7/processed_IMG_20221125_115034_876.jpg Blog - How my bathroom reno taught me about imperfection, acceptance, and grace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1670006874876-GO941JUWT2CVJ91F8H1R/processed_20221125_150245.jpg Blog - How my bathroom reno taught me about imperfection, acceptance, and grace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1670006961537-KN247ZRW3QTX5TEF4P31/processed_20221127_144421.jpg Blog - How my bathroom reno taught me about imperfection, acceptance, and grace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1670006983550-T5MR63HGSBJC1K15AVLN/processed_20221130_124950.jpg Blog - How my bathroom reno taught me about imperfection, acceptance, and grace https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog/what-motivates-us-for-change monthly 0.5 2022-11-17 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog/attuning-our-bodies-to-winter monthly 0.5 2022-01-15 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog/survivingwinterseries monthly 0.5 2021-12-29 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog/tag/Motivation monthly 0.5 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/blog/tag/Change monthly 0.5 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/home daily 1.0 2025-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1633362373097-IS148K6L98BUGOPMGDID/20200325_095530.jpg Home - Hi, I’m Amanda. I’m a therapist who is passionate about helping people identify what is coming up that prevents you from having the life that you so desperately want but feel you can’t have. I believe strongly that if you want something bad enough, with support you can find a way to create it. I’m here to help you on that journey. https://www.firetowercounseling.com/depression daily 0.75 2021-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1633367684516-Q6C0DNM8C7EO25EDTJIJ/Stocksy_txpc27d5a9fkCD300_Medium_2551979.jpg Depression - There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds. —Laurell K. Hamilton https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511387030-5LI1E5QMVTQ2RY9S00A4/20140228_Trade+151_0046+1.jpg Depression https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511440608-5BVMHVN4WR2I9YQV1WWR/Aro+Ha_0010+1.jpg Depression https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511743693-J3A8OYH6X8C7RXNU5K0J/20140301_Trade+151_0124+1.jpg Depression https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511467879-K5J9BYNACHJVDV3BNSFU/Aro+Ha_0387+1.jpg Depression https://www.firetowercounseling.com/trauma daily 0.75 2022-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Trauma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Trauma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Trauma https://www.firetowercounseling.com/substance-use daily 0.75 2022-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1634666001611-6K3CKGU0BK03N6T9W42E/20211013_083206.jpg Substance Use - “The attempt to escape from pain, is what causes more pain.” Gabor Mate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1634665947032-9LGAIG6ZK9IYIJT9MZ2E/20210508_102546.jpg Substance Use https://www.firetowercounseling.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1628776664909-6DLTBXKMQ70A5NX6ASAD/3.png Contact Me https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1628776875262-63B7HKK0NJZ6IWEXPQ8N/2+%281%29.png Contact Me https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1628777068573-NPGKRAAB4CNRBL4F3W46/1+%282%29.png Contact Me https://www.firetowercounseling.com/services daily 0.75 2022-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1633361266851-6MOAPXQU42LTYJDQXOCK/Stocksy_txpc27d5a9fkCD300_Medium_160425.jpg Services - Trauma A lot of the stuff that’s not going well in our lives is often tied to things that also didn’t go well earlier in our life experiences. Needs went unmet, boundaries were violated, we didn’t feel seen or heard in our formative relationships. As a result we developed survival strategies to overcome these unmet needs and violations of trust. These survival strategies served a purpose--they created a sense of control, structure, and safety when there wasn’t any. The problem is that once we are out of the immediate danger of whatever was happening to us, these strategies often don’t work as well as they used to, or as well as we would like them to. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1633361201232-DTH5J5GL3GUKMR7N88V1/Stocksy_txpc27d5a9fkCD300_Medium_2551979.jpg Services - Depression The lived experience of depression can be so debilitating—it tells us a story that we have no energy for anything, we don’t deserve anything, nothing will ever change, and nobody loves us. Sound familiar? Sometimes depression is a response to something situational that is going on, and sometimes it’s not. There are almost as many iterations of depression as there are humans beings experiencing it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1633361058145-SGT4IDORZ8TK7BPBTIUC/Stocksy_txpc27d5a9fkCD300_Medium_3103693.jpg Services - Substance Use Substance use tends to show up as a survival strategy for most people I work with. It helps people disconnect just enough to cope with life’s struggles. Many people find substances are/were the only thing that ever made them feel “normal,” or the only thing that made them feel like they weren’t spinning out of control constantly. But substances (regardless of which one(s) you use) can take on a life of their own. Instead of being the thing to fix our problems, substance use can become a problem by robbing you of your ability to experience life fully. https://www.firetowercounseling.com/faqs-4 daily 0.75 2024-12-11 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/a-manifesto-on-therapy daily 0.75 2021-08-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1629465785249-25TMAJUMG8YF48SUWX24/Casey+in+the+woods.jpg A manifesto on therapy - A manifesto on therapy. I believe that personal growth work is hard, and (unfortunately) it has to be hard to elicit lasting change. This doesn’t mean I condone self-flagellation (because I definitely don’t), but I will not shy away from the hard things, because I know that those hard things can and often do produce beautiful new things. I promise that I will not lead you somewhere that I have not and would not go myself. I have been in my own intensive therapy for many years and I believe that all therapists need to be in therapy to do the best work they possibly can. I take care of myself so I can be the best version of myself for you. Healing work is not just about talking about what’s not working for you. I will encourage you to read books, articles, listen to podcasts, and will occasionally assign relevant homework to help concretize the things we talk about in sessions so you get the most out of our time and work together. I believe in being authentic. This means I keep it real. I do not sugar coat things. If I notice a pattern, I will lovingly “call you in,” to discuss what I am seeing and get curious about where it may come from so we can figure out a new, better path forward. I cuss sometimes, and I encourage you to as well, if that’s something that feels right for you. I wear jeans, t shirts and sneakers to the office. We don’t gotta be fancy here. Come to sessions in whatever feels most comfortable to you. I believe in being respectful and accountable to each other. This is a relationship after all. If I am running late, I will text you and let you know. If I am sick, I will let you know so we can make necessary accommodations. I expect you to do the same. If you can’t make it to session, all I ask is that you let me know. Feedback is incredibly important to me. I want to hear about what is working, and what isn’t. If I say something that upsets you, please tell me in whatever way feels comfortable to you as soon as possible. I will occasionally check in with you about how you are feeling about the way things are going, but if you have something on your mind, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I don’t have an agenda for our work together. If you are struggling and don’t feel like you are making progress, you don’t have to worry about me jumping ship. I am here for the ride. So often the most powerful work that is done in the therapeutic relationship is someone holding space for us without expecting anything in return. After years of walking side by side with clients on their individual journeys, I know that in time things shift and we can often get more clarity. But clarity doesn’t happen because we will it into being. It happens in its own time and in it’s own way. Our work together will be driven by you. What I mean by this is that this is YOUR journey. I may ask you if you want to explore something, but if you say no, I will leave it alone. I may ask you again in the future if you want to explore it again, but if you still don’t want to, I will respect your wishes. So often when traumatic things have happened to us, we felt powerless and taken advantage of. In order to heal those wounds, we have to give the power and control back to you. This may mean that we explore the same topic for months or longer before tangible changes take place. That’s okay. Change is a process and it definitely isn’t linear. I promise that I will practice within my scope of expertise. If something comes up in our work together that I don’t feel comfortable assisting you with, I will provide you with appropriate referrals to trusted colleagues that can better help in those areas. That process can be collaborative (you seeing them one week and me another) or if needed, I will transfer care to the appropriate person so you get what you need most. I am committed to taking good care of myself. I take multiple vacations throughout the year and only work as much as I feel I am able to without sacrificing quality of care. As a result, I see a limited number of clients at a time and will turn away new clients if I feel I am not able to give quality service. I regularly attend trainings to continue to hone my skills and provide quality care and services to you. I am an active person and love lifting weights, hiking, gardening, and playing with my dogs. I love to cook, eat good food, travel and learn new things. I am an avid reader and lover of podcasts. I believe that spending time outside and with people who love and support us can often be some of the best free medicine. If this sounds like someone you would like to work with, I would love to hear from you! https://www.firetowercounseling.com/about-me daily 0.75 2025-04-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1629396034737-QZZIOWHIO92AT0MXFKGX/20200325_095530.jpg About me I’m originally from southwestern Ohio, about an hour north of Cincinatti. I went to a small Quaker school called Wilmington College for my undergraduate work, and went to Ohio State University for my Master’s. I always knew I wanted to help people; social work gave me a path to actually doing that work. When I was in graduate school, a dear friend of mine got sober. Her journey inspired me, and I began to explore focusing on working with folks struggling with substances as part of my graduate school studies. I interned at OSU Medical Center’s substance abuse program and fell in love. After graduating, I knew I wanted to get out of Ohio and see a different part of the country. I moved to eastern Tennessee and lived there for a few years before finally settling in Asheville. I worked for a wilderness therapy program for a couple of years, first as an admissions counselor, then eventually got a job as a therapist there. That work was some of the most meaningful and life-changing experiences I have ever had. I had the privilege of walking clients through early sobriety, while also getting to spend almost every day outside (with my dog too!). I learned so much about myself, the healing power of nature, how much gratitude I had for the simple things in life, nature as both teacher and healer, and how resilient human beings are, both physically and mentally. I eventually left that job to open this practice. I bring many of the lessons I learned (both personally and through working with clients) into my work now. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with people in that capacity before, because I truly believe it helped make me into the therapist I am today. When I’m not at work, you’ll likely find me somewhere outside, rock climbing, sweating it out in a hot yoga class, or hanging with my partner and our dogs at home. License information: North Carolina LCSW—C011930 Exp 11/2026 LCAS—22747 Exp 04/2026 CCS—22508 Exp 11/2027 Florida Registered Telehealth Provider TPSW3250 South Carolina Registered Telehealth Provider 1127 https://llr.sc.gov/TeleHealth/SocialWork.html Oregon LCSW—L16115 exp 09/2026 Virginia LCSW 0904018287 exp 6/2026 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/psychedelic-prep-integration daily 0.75 2022-05-01 https://www.firetowercounseling.com/elders daily 0.75 2023-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1332713c-44e9-4ee4-be3b-8dc4ec208f3e/Stocksy_txp1889df5bTfp300_Medium_5515486.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/1633362373097-IS148K6L98BUGOPMGDID/20200325_095530.jpg https://www.firetowercounseling.com/supervision daily 0.75 2023-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/83a53876-6d89-40c1-a85d-da9045e4a9e0/processed_20231114_113456.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/52f0b73f-1f22-40cc-a6e9-898739976c81/Stocksy_txp3a465b24ifp300_Medium_3945606.jpg https://www.firetowercounseling.com/kapinfl daily 0.75 2023-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60f810e240e0d641b0c36f03/d5c8b1bb-ec64-42c1-8ad1-2c5fe959fd55/Journey+Clinical+KAP+Provider+Badge.png https://www.firetowercounseling.com/adhd daily 0.75 2024-08-23