You deserve to have peace of mind, and happy healthy relationships.

But these days, being "stressed out" is the new black.

By the time you find my website, you have probably already tried a number of things to solve your problems and to improve your life. You are not the kind of person to just sit back and let things happen; you want change, you want personal growth, and you are willing to work for it! You have read self-help books and researched things like "how to have a better relationship" or "meditation for anxiety". And it's helped, up to a point, but you want more.

Hi! I’m Amy McManus, and I offer anxiety therapy and relationship counseling in my office in Los Angeles, and online anywhere in California.

Read on for some information about how therapy will be different from what you've tried so far. If you've already tried therapy in the past, then good for you! I am glad you are thinking about trying therapy again! You can go to my About Amy page to learn more about my philosophy, education and training. You can also go to my FAQ's page for more information on how to pick a therapist.

How Does It All Begin?

When we are young children, we all develop ways of coping that help us get through the challenges we face at that time.  As adults we continue these behaviors and beliefs, even when they no longer serve us. These behaviors and beliefs can harm our relationships and lead to problems like depression and anxiety.

How Does Therapy Work?

We will work together to identify the underlying patterns of thinking and doing that are causing you pain and blocking you from achieving the things you desire.  I will teach you mindfulness strategies that can help you stay in the present and escape the subconscious patterns of the past.  You will learn communication strategies that will help you improve your relationships. We will utilize tools like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, and EMDR to help you overcome the strong emotions and negative behaviors that may be preventing you from reaching your full potential.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is what most people think of as "talk therapy".  Psychodynamic therapy helps you gain insight into the ways your past experiences drive your subconscious, and helps you break free of limiting patterns of behavior and relationships.

The type of psychodynamic therapy I practice is based on Attachment Theory. Attachment theory postulates that we all have “attachment styles” based on our experiences as infants and young children. This is why some of us tend to be “clingy” (anxious attachment), withdrawn (avoidant attachment), or more balanced in our relationships (secure attachment). Our attachment styles tend to affect all of our relationships as adults, but we can always do “attachment repair” (often in the form of therapy) and become securely attached in a healthy relationship.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that your thoughts and beliefs drive your feelings and behavior.  By learning ways to change your thinking, you can change your emotions and your behavior as well.

For example, if you are feeling anxious, there is a thought behind that, such as “I am going to bomb this interview”. This thought can cause obsessive worrying before the interview (feeling), and also reduce performance in the interview itself (behavior).

With CBT, we first work to change the thought, such as “I might not be at my best, but nobody is perfect in an interview. I am completely qualified for this job and am likely to get this one or another just like it sooner rather than later.” Just realizing that the thought isn’t 100% true will begin to reduce the feeling and change the behavior (calmer, therefore better performance in the actual interview). The process is simple, but not easy. It takes a lot of practice, and the guidance of a good therapist can make all the difference.

Mindfulness Therapy

Mindfulness therapy has roots in ancient Buddhist practices, and modern science has shown its effectiveness in improving mood and reducing stress.  Mindfulness training helps us live in the present and break free of subconscious patterns of thinking and behavior.

Mindfulness is often assumed to be done in a meditation, but it can be practiced many other ways as well. Many of my clients who find it difficult to sit still and meditate, are able to build a mindfulness practice in other ways. A mindfulness practice can be especially helpful for reducing obsessive thinking, and experiments show that it leads to stress-reduction overall as well as improvements in mood.

EMDR

EMDR is a technique that can be used in conjunction with other modalities or by itself to treat trauma. I am specially trained in Attachment-Focused EMDR, which focuses on what we call “attachment injuries”—namely the experiences you had as a child that have lead to the insecure attachment styles anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and even disorganized attachment. In layman’s terms this means that EMDR can help you reprocess memories in a way that adds positive elements and takes away much of the emotional charge of the memory itself. The overall effect is generally brand new positive feelings and beliefs about the things that happened in the memory. I have devoted a whole page to explaining how EMDR works, if you are interested in learning more about it.

Please look over my website for more information on Anxiety, Relationships, and Quarter-Life Crisis.

Call me at 323-999-1537, or email me at amy@thrivetherapyla.com for a free consultation about how therapy might be helpful for you, and I will get back to you within 24 hours.