I didn’t grow up in a family where mental health was really acknowledged or talked about, so even getting to the point of considering therapy took some time for me. I wasn’t entirely sure I would follow through with it, but I eventually found myself on Psychology Today reading through different therapist profiles.

When I came across Amy’s, something immediately spoke to me. Her photo, her bio, and the way she described her approach made me feel like she might be someone I could actually feel comfortable talking to, so I scheduled a free 15-minute consultation. Within the first few minutes of speaking with her, I felt surprisingly assured that she could be a good fit and someone I wanted to start this process with. Amy was the first and only therapist I contacted. After that conversation, I felt so confident in her demeanor and approach that I didn’t feel the need to continue interviewing or researching anyone else.

From the beginning, Amy has had an incredibly nonjudgmental, quietly confident, and gently encouraging way about her. I still remember our first session when she explained therapy using the analogy of climbing a mountain. She wasn’t going to tell me exactly what to do or how to get to the top; her role was to help guide me as I figured out my own way there. Almost a year later, that is exactly what she has done.

Amy is deeply invested in her clients’ personal growth and success. I have never once felt like I was simply another appointment on her calendar. There have been countless moments, both big and small, when she has demonstrated a genuine interest in helping me move my life in a healthier and more positive direction. I have made significant, long-overdue changes in my life since beginning therapy with her, and when I look at how much I have grown in less than a year, it is honestly remarkable.

The people closest to me know Amy by name because of how often I talk about things we’ve worked through together, and they have continually been impressed by the level of thought and care she brings to her work. At one particularly difficult point, I asked Amy for clarification on something I was struggling to process. She responded with an incredibly thoughtful email - not a quick two-sentence response, but something that clearly took considerable time and care to write and gave me exactly what I needed when I was too overwhelmed to fully absorb it in the moment.

I shared that email with one of my closest friends, someone I consider one of the most emotionally mature and levelheaded people in my life and who has herself spent more than a decade in therapy. After reading it, she was genuinely stunned by the thoughtfulness and care Amy had put into helping me understand what I was going through. Her response was essentially, “Wow. You got so lucky with her. She is one in a million.”

And that really sums up how I feel.

If you find yourself lucky enough to reach Amy at a time when she is accepting new clients, and the two of you determine that you’re a good fit, choosing to work with her may be one of the best decisions you make for yourself. I am incredibly grateful that when I finally decided to give therapy a chance, hers was the profile I happened to find - and that I trusted my instinct to reach out.