Amanda Dishner, LMFT-S

I love smashing fear-based and starvation economy mindsets. I believe love is the root of radical change. Love for self and others is essential for growth and happiness. It requires courage, vulnerability, compassion, empathy, strength, healthy boundaries, and skilled listening & communication, to name a few. With love, we can sit with ourselves and others free of judgement, guilt, or shame. From this place real change is made. My goal is to help you feel loved, love yourself, and love others by empathically holding space for your processing, strengthening your boundaries & instincts, healing your past, and empowering you to create the presence & future you truly desire.

I like working with a wide variety of clients and have enjoyed watching the demographic of my clientele organically shift over the last 10+ years. I am currently focusing on individuals and families navigating fertility, ART, adoption, pregnancy & postpartum, and parenthood. Other areas of specialty are: trauma & grief work; dream work; consensual non-monogamy; and families with neurodivergent children. Some common threads in all these niches involve encouraging self-care, compassion, and creating healthy boundaries. With an open mind & heart, a little humor, and genuine passion, I will support you in finding your own path to a more balanced and satisfying life. I pull from a variety of techniques and balance therapeutic interventions with goal-oriented coaching strategies.

Therapy can be both preventative and healing and I believe it should be an integral part of everyone's self-care repertoires, helping us through the challenging times and the good times. When we take care of ourselves, we become better equipped to handle all of life - the ordinary and extraordinary. I provide a safe, unbiased, and judgement free place to grow and find balance. Just as in all areas of life, there will be hard times in therapy. Reflecting, adjusting, and growing are difficult but rewarding. I'll be there every step of the way, challenging you to live the life you want, directly and sugar-coated in unconditional empathy, compassion, and curiosity.

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Education, License, & Special Trainings

• BA, Psychology and Human Development & Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 2005

• MA, Marriage & Family Therapy and Professional Counseling, St. Edward's University, 2012

• Texas State Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Board Approved Supervisor, License # 201978

• EMDR Trained Clinician

• Perinatal Mental Health Trained

• RETAIN Parental Leave Coach in Training

• CRM Trained Clinician

The Castell Story

Castell means castle in Catalan - the language of Catalonia, a historic nationality in Northern Spain. It refers to the Catalan ritual of building human towers. Building human towers has become a competitive sport, spreading across the globe, displaying great feats of strength, courage, and unity. The motto of castellers (members of the human tower) is "Strength, Balance, Courage, and Reason". The formations require all four characteristics on both an individual and communal level.

I chose this namesake for my practice because of the similarities between the symbolism of castells and my philosophies about life. I believe the old adage "it takes a village" rings true around the world. However, modern Western society often overemphasizes the importance of independence, which can lead to struggles over autonomy versus community. On the other hand, focusing too much on what society deems appropriate and denying your true self can lead to despair. With this practice, it is my intent to provide therapy that can strengthen our independence, renew our communities, and help us find balance in life. 

Strength

Strength comes in several forms: physical, emotional, mental. Strength can empower and support. To have strength you need work/practice/ritual, vulnerability, patience, flexibility, and commitment to self. I believe these are essential skills for a well-lived life.