About Dr. Leah Amakawa
Focus areas
Adolescent / Teen Issues
EMDR Therapy
Phobia
Adult Psychotherapy
Mood Disorders
Psychological Trauma
Anxiety
Panic Attack
Clientele seen
Teenagers (13-17)
Seniors (65+)
Young adults (18-24)
Individuals
Adults (25-64)
Families
Treatment approaches
AEDP
Culturally Sensitive
Attachment-based
EMDR
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Emotionally Focused
Identity
Gender
FemaleLanguages spoken
English
Getting to know Dr. Leah Amakawa
I am an elementary school teacher turned clinical psychologist, holding a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University and a Bachelor's degree from Williams College. My pursuit of comprehensive and expedited healing has brought me to schools (The Rebecca School, Mount Sinai’s therapeutic high school), hospitals (Memorial Sloan Kettering, Bronx Lebanon), clinics (Mount Sinai’s Child and Family Institute, Fort Hamilton’s adult outpatient division), and private practices (Behavior Therapy of NY, Rennicke & Associates) throughout NYC. It has inspired me to explore multiple empirically supported and innovative treatments (e.g., IFS, AEDP, DBT, CBT) and become a certified EMDR therapist and consultant in training.
For over 15 years, I have been a collaborator in profound transformations. I believe that everyone has the innate ability to heal given an environment that is safe, accepting, and truly affirming. From this environment, therapist and client can work together to make changes, exceed limitations, and deepen connections to self and others. Therapy shifts from a focus on alleviating what’s been going wrong to exploring and expanding the capacity for resilience, health, and wholeness. I will continue to be thoroughly moved by this transformational process and am devoted to ensuring my clients feel seen, cared for, and accompanied throughout.
What should a new client know about working with you?
My approach to therapy is holistic, experiential and relational. Holistic means that I use a variety of approaches to help my clients explore and align multiple dimensions of their experience, including the cognitive, the affective, the somatic and the behavioral. Experiential means that I actively assist my clients in engaging in new ways of coping and relating. I use methods like visualization, mindful breathing, imaginal and in-vivo exposure and noticing and modifying moment-to-moment experiences. Most importantly, I prioritize the relational. I create safety and comfort and assist with obstacles that may arise. I bring my full self, conveying humor, authenticity, expressiveness and care.
What is your typical process for working with clients?
I see therapy as rolling out in a few distinct stages. The first is an orientation to therapy where I help clients inventory and contextualize symptoms and issues. I help clients appreciate that some of their symptoms are solutions to old problems that we’re going to need to address in a different way. We then move into a stabilization phase where I provide a user’s manual to their nervous system. My clients learn to notice and modulate various aspects of it with the goal of increasing flexibility and expansiveness. The next stage involves deeper therapeutic work where we seek to change the big stuff internally and externally. An internal shift might be changing how connected my client feels to self and others. Large external shifts might be making life changes that were previously too difficult.
Dr. Leah Amakawa is not in-network with any insurances
It’s common for mental health providers to be out-of-network. Many insurance plans offer out-of-network coverage, so you may get partially reimbursed. Learn more
Office location
Dr. Leah Amakawa, PhD also offers online video visits for patients
Education and background
Practice names
Education and training
- Fordham University, PhD in Clinical Psychology
- Williams College (Bachelor's)
Professional memberships
- American Psychological Association
Awards and publications
- EMDR Certified Therapist, Parnell Institute/EMDRIA
- EMDR Consultant-in-Training, EMDRIA
NPI number
1386053726
How soon can I make an appointment with Dr. Leah Amakawa?
Generally, Dr. Leah Amakawa has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Dr. Amakawa's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.
Is Dr. Leah Amakawa accepting new patients?
Dr. Leah Amakawa generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Dr. Amakawa's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.
Does Dr. Leah Amakawa accept my insurance?
Choose your insurance plan to verify if Dr. Amakawa is in-network.
Can I make an appointment with Dr. Leah Amakawa online?
Yes, you can make an appointment online with Dr. Amakawa using Zocdoc. It’s simple, secure, and free.
What practice does Dr. Leah Amakawa work with?
Dr. Leah Amakawa works with Transformative Psychotherapy.
Where is Dr. Leah Amakawa's office located?
Dr. Leah Amakawa has 2 office locations, including in New York and Smyrna, view full addresses on Dr. Amakawa's profile.
What are common reasons for patients to see Dr. Leah Amakawa?
Dr. Leah Amakawa frequently sees patients for Anxiety, Depression, Psychotherapy, Sleep Problems, and Therapy. You can see other visit reasons for Dr. Leah Amakawa on their profile.
What languages does Dr. Leah Amakawa speak?
Dr. Leah Amakawa speaks English.