Amanda Garcia , LCSW

Amanda Garcia is a licensed clinical social worker with a decade of professional experience and a long-standing commitment to supporting people through difficult life challenges. Originally from the Midwest, she has made Arizona her home for nearly 15 years and brings experience from a variety of clinical settings to her practice. She earned a bachelor’s degree in 2011 and completed a master’s degree at Arizona State University in 2012 through the Advanced Standing Program. Amanda obtained her initial license as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in 2015 through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health and has since advanced to LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - which permits independent clinical practice.

Amanda has worked extensively with individuals affected by trauma, including domestic violence, physical and emotional abuse, abandonment, and grief or loss, as well as people coping with extreme poverty. She also supports clients facing depression, anxiety, ADHD, mood disorders, and a wide range of other concerns. Her additional clinical focus areas include attachment and adoption issues, caregiver stress, codependency, communication difficulties, and challenges related to parenting, family dynamics, and major life changes.

Colleagues and clients have described Amanda as down to earth, easy to connect with, empathetic, and goal oriented. Her counseling style is authentic, strengths based, and nonjudgmental, with an emphasis on holistic well-being that values mental health alongside physical health. She avoids a one-size-fits-all approach and individualizes treatment plans through collaboration, tailoring therapeutic techniques to each person’s needs and goals.

Amanda typically makes time for weekday appointments during a 9:00 to 3:00 window and can accommodate some scheduling requests outside those hours on occasion. She offers sessions up to 45 minutes in length. In accordance with licensing board guidelines and professional ethics, she requests identifying information before beginning treatment and provides information for verifying licensure on the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health website. Amanda welcomes questions from those considering therapy and seeks to empower clients as they pursue healing and coping strategies.

Approaches and Online Care That Fit Your Life

Amanda integrates client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into her online work. Client-centered therapy focuses on building a respectful, empathetic relationship and helps clients explore their goals and values in a supportive environment. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a practical, skills-based approach that addresses unhelpful thoughts and patterns to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.

She also draws from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) when emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance are priorities. DBT offers concrete tools for managing intense emotions and improving relationships while also emphasizing acceptance and change.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Amanda works with each person to identify what methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan over time as progress is made.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit care into a busy life. These formats increase scheduling flexibility, support continuity during life transitions, and allow clients to engage in therapy from locations that are convenient for them while working with licensed professionals and therapists.