Amanda Argento, MA LPC NCC ACS
About Me
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with extensive experience in both clinical and educational settings. I am certified in the State of New Jersey as a Director of School Counseling, Supervisor, School Counselor, and School Social Worker. I also hold national credentials as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and an Accredited Clinical Supervisor (ACS).
I provide psychotherapy and mental health counseling to adults experiencing concerns related to self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. People seek counseling for many reasons—whether you are navigating a challenging life transition and seeking short-term support, or looking for longer-term therapy to gain deeper insight into recurring patterns. In our work together, you can expect a warm, supportive, and collaborative environment focused on problem-solving, personal growth, and meaningful change.
Please visit my Psychology Today profile:
www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/amanda-argento-jersey-city-nj/751633
About Therapy
Participation in therapy can offer many benefits, including improved interpersonal relationships and progress toward resolving the concerns that led you to seek counseling. My goal is to establish a strong therapeutic relationship that supports healing, personal growth, and your individual needs. Achieving these benefits, however, requires active participation on your part. Effective psychotherapy depends on your willingness to engage openly and honestly as we work to understand and change thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
At times, more than one therapeutic approach may be used to best address your concerns. During the initial evaluation or throughout therapy, discussing or recalling difficult experiences, emotions, or thoughts may bring about emotional discomfort or strong reactions such as sadness, anger, worry, fear, anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances. Additionally, I may gently challenge certain beliefs or perspectives and offer alternative ways of understanding or responding to situations. This process can sometimes feel uncomfortable or evoke feelings of frustration, sadness, or disappointment, but it is often an important part of growth and change.
How to make to most of your sessions
The effectiveness of therapy session is largely determined by you, not your therapist. Some people like to think that their problems are now in the hands of a professional to fix, and this belief may set one up for disappointment and frustration.
If you are thinking about seeing a therapist or have been seeing a therapist regularly, there are a few guidelines to make sure that you are getting the most of your sessions. This should help in making sure you closer to achieving your goals.
Show up.
Similar to doctors, therapist develop a treatment plan. It is very common to stop showing up for sessions once you begin to feel better, or if a situation resolves itself naturally. Just like with antibiotic medication, you are advised to take the dosage until completed, not stop taking the medication once you feel better. Prematurely ending a therapy session can leave you feeling unprepared to tackle future obstacles.
Be Honest.
Just like at a doctor’s office, it is hard to determine an effective course of action if your therapist is unsure of the symptoms. It is natural as human beings to minimize your struggles or hardships, but this will prevent your therapist from being able to truly help! Be completely open and honest about your problems.
Cry.
Ok, so maybe not everyone will cry but confronting uncomfortable feelings is a huge part of therapy. Don’t worry about “keeping it together” or walk in with restrictions on what you will and will not discuss. These topics that make you uncomfortable, sad, angry, or resentful are usually the root of a problem. Sometimes the simple act of talking about issues, can immensely change its impact on someone’s life.
Homework.
Homework in therapy? Yes! As a therapist, I will give you homework in between sessions. Assignments can vary from behavioral changes, testing out coping skills, writing letters, journaling, or other challenges to incorporate into you life. Do your homework in between sessions. If you are trying out a new coping skill, sometimes things need to be repeated multiple times before any sign of progress can be seen. Many of our struggles did not develop overnight, so it is unrealistic to expect them to go away that quickly. Commit to your therapists suggestions to begin working towards progress.
Client Concerns within My Scope of Practice Include the following:
- Depression (Mild/Moderate)
- Anxiety (Mild/Moderate)
- Relationship or Family Conflicts/ Breakup/ Divorce
- Transition issues
- Imposter Syndrome
- Communication Problems
- Jealousy/Trust Issues
- Obsessive Thinking Patterns
- Negative Thinking
- Stress Management
- Self Esteem/Self-Criticism/Self Doubt
- Perfectionism
- Procrastination
- Social Anxiety
- Codependency / Dependency
- Fear/ Doubt
- Sensitivity to Criticism