Amanda S. Hood

Welcome Therapy matters — not just because of the feedback or skills a skilled clinician can offer, but because of what happens when you actually listen to yourself. Putting words to your experience, describing what's going on to someone who is genuinely present and without an agenda, has a clarifying power all its own. It helps you zoom out and see the bigger picture, or zoom in on what's really driving the hurt. Perspective is everything, and sometimes we simply can't find it alone. I'm Amanda Hood, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with over a decade of experience in private practice, care coordination, nonprofit leadership, and education and human development. I completed my graduate training at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia. I began practicing in 2011 and have been in private practice since 2016. Welcome to the Talking Path Counseling. In addition to traditional office-based therapy, I'm excited to offer walk and talk sessions for those who are interested. Research supports the benefits of movement during therapy — bilateral stimulation (the rhythmic, alternating activation of both sides of the body that occurs naturally during walking) has been shown to support emotional processing and reduce the physiological grip of stress. Movement can lower the walls we put up in a seated room and open something that stillness sometimes can't. This is personal for me, too. I've been running since 2004 as a way to manage my own anxiety, and movement has been one of my most reliable anchors. When I'm not with clients, you'll likely find me in the garden, in the kitchen baking, or out on a walk with my standard poodle, who considers himself my shadow. I look forward to working with you. Please don't hesitate to reach out — taking that first step is often the hardest part, and I'm here when you're ready.