Amanda Vestal
Amanda Vestal
She/Her • MPS, LPCC, LADC, IPPE-C
Licensed Mental Health Therapist, Reproductive + Perinatal Specialist, Licensed Alcohol/Drug Counselor
Waitlist • Coon Rapids • Virtual
Specialties
Trauma/PTSD Anxiety Perinatal & Maternal Neurodivergence Grief & Loss Substance Use + Loved Ones
LGBTQ+ Affirming
Body Inclusive
Reproductive Mental Health
Ages Served
Teens Adults
Older Adults
Modalities
EMDR Person-Centered DBT CBT ACT Attachment Based Narrative Strategies
About Me
I’m Amanda Vestal, a therapist + drug/alcohol counselor. I’m a quirky, kind soul who strives to create a safe environment for anyone who enters my office/virtual space. In a previous [career] life, I worked within dietetics. While I appreciated the work, I found myself craving a more holistic approach to client care. When I decided to go back to school to expand my scope, I opted to include substance use counseling within my degree. I have insight into the impact substance use can have on the loved ones of someone who’s struggling with misuse, as well as the stigma those who have difficulty with substance use face.
I spent a few years working within a harm reduction setting. I worked with a variety of individuals with a variety of mental health concerns. Despite the variety, themes began to emerge-the what happened to you stemming from attachment wounds and trauma; the substance use being a symptom of something deeper. I was motivated to shift my focus from managing the symptom to treating the root cause.
Currently, I specialize in trauma-focused care with a strong attachment base. We’re all impacted by our upbringing; the care we received or missed out on, the people/places that impacted our early years can stick with us across our lifespan. I also have personal insight into the pain that comes with infertility and there’s no sugar coating it-it sucks. I’ve begun to find specialization within trauma and perinatal/reproductive mental health. I also have a passion working with neurodiversity and the beautiful complexities that can come with those diagnoses; neurodiversity is really a superpower, if you can harness it for your benefit.
Clinical Approaches
Life can really smack you in the face and get really weird-and not in the cool, fun way. I strive to meet whoever is in the clinical space where they are at. I’m not in this business to help stroke my ego, I do this work to help you live your best life. You also know your story better than I do; you are the expert on your own life; I’m the guide walking by your side [and occasionally pointing out the elephant in the room as needed] through the self-discovery process. To do this, I come from a person-centered with a trauma-informed attachment base of care. I approach sessions with directness, warmth, compassion, and a sprinkle [sometimes a spattering, if appropriate] of humor.
I’m trained in EMDR and am working towards EMDRIA certification. EMDR helps work through those deep-rooted experiences that inform how we view ourselves/the world. I am also trained in DBT, which helps provide the day-to-day skills to help cope with the symptoms while we work through the heavy-duty deep-rooted concerns. I encourage building self-compassion and care, the world we live in can be so damn outrageous-I know how difficult it can be to lift yourself up when everything around us is on fire. I do my best to help you find what makes you uniquely you and embrace it.
The human behind the credentials.
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring Minnesota with my husband and our three [yes, three] dogs. I practice yoga and go hiking to help keep my mind and body in sync. I have a yearly debate with myself as to how early is too early to put up Halloween decorations. I also enjoy playing video games and watching my “comfort” 90’s shows/movies. On days I need to be gentle with myself, I lean into video games like Spiritfarer, or if my inner elder millennial is really in need of care I turn to The Sims. For fun, I like to play story driven games like Red Dead[high honor playthrough every time]. Some of my 90’s comfort shows and movies include Law and Order SVU, ER, The Birdcage, and Jurassic Park. Additionally, I enjoy watching a good documentary, or Parks and Rec for the 1000th time.
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