Amanda Norcross, MA, LPC

Therapy for Individual Adolescents and Adults, and Premarital Counseling

I am passionate about helping others find what they need, and I will guide and support you through whatever unknown you are in. I have a warmth and genuineness that will put you at ease. I am a responsive and curious listener. And I have experience in deep therapeutic work that will foster new perspectives in your life; create meaningful, lasting change; and increase your resilience.

My Therapeutic Approach

As a therapist grounded in depth psychology and attachment-based experiential therapy, I believe that the best way for you to find your way through your questions and issues is to turn toward them with the help of a trusted, capable other. So my goal is to be a trusted, capable other for you—to provide you with steadfast support; meaningful guidance rooted in your own intuitions and abilities; and room for all your experiences and emotions. This seemingly simple process yields profound benefits and is grounded in the power of a trustworthy, authentic relationship to move you toward greater wholeness and balance.

In our work together, we will explore your experiences with a gentle curiosity toward what lies unseen and marginalized on the fringes. I will encourage and help you to gradually stretch yourself—to sense and express things you hadn’t noticed; to become more comfortable with your emotions and thoughts; to consider unexpected sources of insight; and to generally begin hearing and trusting your ever-present inner wisdom. We will give full consideration to all that arises as meaningful road signs to wholeness. And I will always provide a confidential, safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space where you can have these experiences as you feel ready to do so.

This process of exploration and expanding your awareness allows us to create a unique therapy experience that is the right process for you, and it helps you in many ways. It moves you toward greater emotional health, increases your resilience, increases your sense of meaning and fulfillment in life, allows you to connect more deeply with others, and provides you with self-understanding that helps you support yourself and grow outside of therapy as well.

Areas of Particular Interest

Any time you are struggling with a problem or question, no matter how big or small, therapy can offer a place for deep, thorough reflection and seeing new possibilities. So while the list below shows the kinds of difficulties and life experiences that I usually focus on in my work, I can help you in any situation where you feel uncertain, afraid, or alone and you are seeking not just relief but a vibrant, authentic life.

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loss and grief
• Trauma
• Addiction
• Repeating or frustrating behaviors
• Relationship problems
• Premarital counseling
• Feelings of emptiness or lack of meaning
• Feeling stuck
• Career difficulties
• Creativity issues
• Life changes and transitions
• Identity crisis
• Social isolation
• Spiritual struggles

About Me

My passion for psychotherapy first emerged many years ago when I began pondering possibilities beyond my long-time career in the corporate world. I had been a technical writer in the semiconductor industry for almost 20 years and, while I had learned many things and engaged with many interesting and smart people, I found myself longing for work that mattered more deeply to me.

I discovered depth psychology (the psychology of the unconscious) and was instantly fascinated with how it emphasized the value of not just our “good” parts but also our “bad” parts: that which we shun and fear in ourselves. The more I read about and experienced this ideology, the more I realized and was amazed by its truth: a sense of wholeness and profound well-being emerges when we can acknowledge and embrace all of ourselves. I was compelled to explore further and further, and my explorations led me into the field of counseling where my learning and journey continue to evolve.

Being a therapist allows me to do and experience so many things that matter to me. I get to have close, meaningful connections with people and share in their experiences and stories. I get to be genuine and warm and really listen. I get to be curious and passionate. I help others in their struggles. I explore constantly and learn new things (about myself too, not just my clients). I see people discover their unique vitality and wisdom. And I get to laugh with them, sometimes in the most wonderfully unexpected moments.

Because therapy is the second profession in my life, I bring a seasoned perspective to my work. I have already experienced a completely different, full, challenging career and the maturing that comes with it. At the same time, I also know through that experience what it is like to feel despair and frustration with some aspect of life and to find your way through it—in this case, to fulfilling work. I have gone through other struggles as well, experienced different worldviews, and been in long-term relationship with others—all “life” lessons that inform my counseling work.

Ultimately, I am as passionate about my own growth as I am about my clients’. I feel inspired when I expand my self-awareness, learn new things, and can open myself to new possibilities. I find it exciting to journey inside and explore.

And I consider it a tremendous honor that I get to help others do the same.

Credentials

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Intern with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, License #65952
• Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology, from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, CA
• Ongoing training in attachment-based experiential therapy at The DEEP Center for Counseling and Psychotherapy Training, Austin, TX
• Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in writing, from University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Clinical Experience

• The DEEP Center for Counseling and Psychotherapy Training, Austin, TX
• Texas Star Recovery Intensive Outpatient (IOP) Program, Austin, TX
• Capital Area Mental Health Center (now Capital Area Counseling), Austin, TX

Publications

• Norcross, A.E. (2010, August). A case for personal therapy in counselor education. Counseling Today, 53, 40-42.
• Norcross, A.E. (2009, June). The challenge of uncertainty in psychotherapy: Depth psychological voices from the field. Pacifica Graduate Institute. Carpinteria, CA.

Presentations

• Norcross, A.E. (2012, November 2). The value of therapist uncertainty. Unpublished lecture presented at YWCA: Continuing Education Series, Austin, TX.
• Norcross, A.E. (2012, February 3). The value of therapist uncertainty. Unpublished lecture presented at A Kaleidoscope of Counseling: 5th Annual Professional Growth Conference, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.