Description
Dr. Amanda Armstrong, an Alabama native and mental health professional in the River Region, has a compelling passion for helping people. As one of the few African-American female psychologists licensed in the state of Alabama, she uses her platform to challenge the stigma of mental health both locally and nationally, especially among veterans and women of color.
Dr. Armstrong created Avondale and Associates Psychological Services, LLC, after seeing a need to help the community at large to normalize life’s stressors and prioritize mental health. She witnessed a disparity in the community regarding access to affordable mental health services for individuals in her community and desired to provide a safe, nontraditional, and affordable platform to aid clients in finding balance and peace in their lives.
To accomplish this goal, Dr. Armstrong uses a cognitive behavioral approach to therapy with her clients to help manage their presenting concerns by changing the way they think and behave. By promoting self-awareness and emotional intelligence, she teaches and encourages her clients to "read" their emotions and distinguish healthy from unhealthy feelings and thoughts. Dr. Armstrong’s distinct knowledge and experience spans several areas of expertise in psychology, including treating symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), insomnia, tobacco cessation, substance use disorders, and chronic pain.
Dr. Armstrong earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University, an American Psychological Association accredited institution, in July 2020. Since that time, she has worked with the Veterans Administration where she provided behavioral healthcare consultations in a primary care setting to veterans in need of mental health services. In addition to her role as owner and sole healthcare provider at Avondale and Associates, Dr. Armstrong provides mental health services to Auburn University’s Accountability Based Sexual Offense Program where she performs psychological evaluations for juveniles in the Department of Youth Services and supervises assessment interns from local universities.
Outside of helping others positively transform their lives through her various therapeutic approaches, Dr. Armstrong also serves the community as the Co-Founder of I Am Purposed: a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering veteran women and women of color. Through her nonprofit, Dr. Armstrong has made strides to enhance quality of life for others through services such as feeding the homeless, providing grants to women-led small businesses, and partnering with other organizations to support survivors of domestic violence.
In her personal time, Dr. Armstrong enjoys playing golf, traveling, and being active as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She also volunteers in her community and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.