Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Schwartz.
Hi Amanda , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path to becoming a therapist wasn’t a straight line, but every step has shaped the clinician and business owner I am today.
I’ve always been drawn to helping people, especially children and families navigating life’s hardest moments. Early in my career, I worked in a variety of mental health settings that allowed me to support individuals across the lifespan while gaining experience with trauma, anxiety, ADHD, behavioral concerns, and family dynamics. Those experiences confirmed that I wanted to create a space where clients felt genuinely seen, safe, and understood.
That vision led me to found Spark Therapy, LLC. I wanted to build a practice where therapy is personalized, relationship-centered, and empowering. I specialize in play therapy with children while also working with teens and adults who are struggling with anxiety, trauma, life transitions, grief, and relationship challenges. I believe healing happens when people feel accepted exactly as they are while being given practical tools to grow.
Building a private practice has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life. Like many entrepreneurs, I’ve navigated unexpected obstacles, learned to adapt, and worn countless hats—from therapist to business owner, marketer, administrator, and advocate for my clients. Each challenge has strengthened my commitment to creating a practice that serves the community with compassion and excellence.
Outside of my practice, I’m also a wife, mom of two young children, and someone who understands firsthand the balancing act of career, family, and personal well-being. Those experiences have deepened my empathy and remind me daily that none of us are meant to navigate life’s challenges alone.
Today, Spark Therapy continues to grow, and I feel incredibly grateful to do work that I genuinely love. Whether I’m helping a child express emotions through play, supporting a teen through difficult transitions, or walking alongside an adult facing anxiety or trauma, my goal is always the same: to help people discover hope, healing, and resilience. It’s a privilege to be invited into people’s stories, and I’m honored to play even a small role in their journey.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I don’t think most meaningful journeys are.
Starting a private practice means stepping into the unknown. While I was trained to be a therapist, I quickly realized that owning a business required an entirely different skill set. I had to learn marketing, accounting, networking, insurance credentialing, and everything that happens behind the scenes all while continuing to provide the highest quality care to my clients.
There have also been personal challenges. Becoming a mother while growing my practice gave me a new perspective on balance, boundaries, and grace. There have been seasons of juggling motherhood, another full-time career in clinical research, and entrepreneurship, all while trying to be fully present for my family and clients. It’s been exhausting at times, but it’s also reinforced why mental health support is so important. We all need people in our corner.
Like many small business owners, I’ve faced unexpected setbacks from navigating office moves and operational challenges to learning how to adapt when plans didn’t go as expected. Those moments have tested my resilience, but they’ve also taught me to stay flexible, advocate for my business, and keep my focus on why I started in the first place.
Through every obstacle, my faith, my family, and the relationships I’ve built with my clients have reminded me that growth often comes through the hardest seasons. Looking back, I wouldn’t change the journey because every challenge has made me a stronger therapist, business owner, and person.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Spark Therapy, LLC?
Spark Therapy, LLC was built on the belief that everyone deserves a place where they feel safe, accepted, and genuinely understood. Spark’s mission is to help individuals and families find hope, healing, and resilience through compassionate, evidence-based care.
While I work with children, teens, and adults, I’m especially known for my work with children and families. Play therapy is one of my specialties because children often communicate their thoughts and emotions through play long before they have the words to express them. By meeting children where they are developmentally, I help them process anxiety, trauma, behavioral challenges, grief, ADHD, autism, emotional regulation, and major life transitions in ways that feel natural and effective.
I also provide therapy for adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, parenting concerns, and life changes. Every treatment plan is individualized because I recognize that no two people, or their stories, are the same.
What sets Spark Therapy apart is my commitment to creating meaningful relationships with my clients. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. I take the time to understand each person’s unique experiences, strengths, and goals so therapy feels collaborative rather than clinical. I want clients to leave each session feeling heard, supported, and equipped with practical tools they can use in everyday life.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the trust my clients place in me. Many families come to Spark Therapy through referrals from former clients, physicians, schools, and other professionals. That trust is something I never take for granted, and it motivates me to continue providing care with integrity, compassion, and excellence.
At the heart of my brand is hope. Seeking therapy isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a courageous investment in yourself and your relationships. Whether someone is reaching out for their child, their family, or themselves, we want them to know they don’t have to face life’s challenges alone. Healing is possible, and we’re honored to walk alongside our clients every step of the way.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I believe the mental health field will continue moving toward greater accessibility, early intervention, and personalized care over the next 5–10 years. I’m seeing more people recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health, and that shift is helping reduce the stigma around seeking therapy.
I also think there will be an increased focus on supporting children and families earlier. Rather than waiting until a child is in crisis, parents, schools, and pediatricians are becoming more proactive about addressing emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns. Early intervention has the potential to make a lifelong impact, and I hope that trend continues.
Technology will undoubtedly continue to shape our field. Telehealth has expanded access to care for many individuals, and artificial intelligence may become a helpful tool for administrative tasks, education, and improving efficiency. However, I don’t believe technology will ever replace the human connection that makes therapy so powerful. Healing happens within safe, authentic relationships, and that’s something technology cannot replicate.
Another important shift is the growing recognition that mental health doesn’t exist in isolation. The most effective care often involves collaboration between therapists, families, schools, physicians, and other professionals. I expect we’ll continue to see more integrated, team-based approaches that support the whole person rather than focusing on symptoms alone.
As I look toward the future, I’m excited not only about continuing to grow Spark Therapy but also about expanding through my DBA, Anchor House. My vision is to create a welcoming community space that offers support groups for children, parents, and families, providing education, connection, and encouragement outside of traditional therapy sessions. Long-term, I hope Anchor House evolves into a multidisciplinary wellness clinic where individuals and families can access a variety of services in one place, making quality mental health and wellness care more collaborative and accessible.
My hope for the future is that quality mental health care becomes available to everyone, regardless of age, background, or financial circumstances. I believe the future of our profession is one of collaboration, prevention, and whole-person wellness, and I’m excited to be part of helping shape that future.
Pricing:
- Depends on individual insurance
- private pay is non-changing $150 but I have sliding scale
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sparktherapy.health/
