TRAUMA & RECOVERY THERAPIST | TUCSON, ARIZONA
My approach to therapy
Image by Amanda Gormley, MA, LAC
I believe that every person holds the capacity for growth, healing, and transformation. My role as a counselor is not to tell you who to be or what to do — it is to create a supportive space where you can step across a threshold into deeper self-awareness, and walk alongside you as you discover what has always been there.
I use a flexible and holistic approach that adapts to your unique needs. As an interdisciplinary practitioner, I draw from a range of evidence-based therapies, including EMDR, Narrative Therapy, DBT, Gestalt, and Person-Centered counseling. I also integrate practices of awe and spiritual meaning — not tied to any particular faith or tradition, but rooted in your own worldview and what holds significance for you.
Sometimes our sessions focus on exploring your story through conversation. Other times, we might use mindfulness, imagery, bilateral stimulation, or body-based awareness to access deeper layers of experience. Each approach offers a different doorway into understanding. We will find the path that resonates most with you.
I embrace the belief that therapy is not just a conversation; it is an experience. My goal is to help you build a grounded, secure relationship with your innermost self — one that can hold your past, orient toward your values, and open toward a fuller life.
THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE
What it’s like to work with me
As your therapist, my role is not to tell you who to be or what to do. Instead, I walk alongside you as you discover your path, offering a steady presence as you navigate your journey.
We work to cultivate curiosity, courage, and compassion toward yourself — building the foundation of a secure and supportive inner relationship. This inner relationship becomes the cornerstone that makes it possible to meet challenges, embrace growth, and live more fully aligned with who you are.
You will find the wise, inner voice that has always been there to guide you.
Some themes I bring to this work
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Cultivating presence and awareness in the moment
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Connecting with wonder — in nature, stillness, or the vastness of what lies beyond the everyday — as a catalyst for transformation and healing
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Weaving insights into daily life and relationships
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Honoring both strengths and struggles, embracing all parts of yourself
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Recognizing that healing is shaped by identity, faith, family, and lived experience — holding space for your story to be fully seen
Amanda Gormley, MA, LAC, NCC, EMDR Therapist | Tucson, AZ
BACKGROUND
About Amanda
Originally from Upstate New York, I've lived in Tucson for more than ten years with my family. I love hiking, stargazing, and finding inspiration in the resilience and beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
I have twenty years of professional experience in the nonprofit field, where I served as a communications professional for environmental and human services organizations. During this time, I found a common thread running through all of my work — curiosity about human connection, meaning, and what moves people to change. That foundation led me to psychotherapy and to my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adams State University.
Previously, I received my Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Colorado State University. I am a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a member of the American Counseling Association, and a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) pursuing independent licensure. My clinical background includes experience in an intensive outpatient setting, where I specialized in supporting individuals navigating trauma and addiction recovery. Helping people access and heal what lives beneath the surface is at the heart of my practice. These experiences shape the depth and intentionality I bring to every client relationship.
CULTURE & IDENTITY
A unique perspective…
I once attended a conference where the speaker asked attendees to raise our hands overhead and spin our fingers in a wide clockwise circle. We were asked to slowly lower our arms while we continued spinning our hands. By the time our hands dropped below eye level, the motion looked counterclockwise. "What changed?" the speaker asked. Our perspective! Our hands were still moving in exactly the same direction.
I am part of a multicultural family and an active member of the Muslim community in Tucson, and I move through cultural differences every day — in my home, my relationships, and my work. Remembering that we are all looking at the same thing, just from different angles, helps me to navigate differences with openness and curiosity. These experiences shape who I am and sit at the heart of how I approach every client relationship — with eager curiosity and genuine respect for the perspective you bring into the space.
I also know from lived experience that spirituality and faith can be both a source of profound strength and a place of deep complexity. Whatever your relationship with the sacred — whether it lives in religion, nature, community, or the quiet voice within — it is welcome here.
