Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Amanda Hannon.
Dr. Hannon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The cliched but honest answer is that I have always loved helping people and listening to their stories. I am a listener and observer, and I tend to be very emotionally attuned to those around me. This was something that came naturally even at a young age, as I remember noticing when my mother was upset or my father was worried about something without either one of them having to voice these emotions. I wanted to help- and I wanted to make it better. So, I worked very hard to identify ways to try to take the pain and the hurt on myself so that those I cared about did not have to shoulder these burdens, and I ended up paying the price emotionally as I grew older. That is the truth of how I got started and how I eventually developed my own struggles with mental illness. And I crashed and burned before I even finished my freshman year of college. But I made it. And in the process, I grew exponentially, and I began to unlearn my old ways of being so that I could begin to adopt new ways of being and interacting with myself and the world around me.
Of course, there was also attending and finishing college and eventually obtaining advanced degrees so that I could become a psychologist. All of this was a necessary evil and helped prepare me for the career that I now have. But I truly believe that my story and my struggle are what enable me to connect with the clients I have sitting in front of me. It’s the human condition and the human connection that are most important, and my experiences have been invaluable in allowing me to better appreciate the stories and vulnerabilities that my clients are brave enough to share with me and entrust to me when they come through my door.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Things have not always been easy in pursuing this career. Many of the challenges I faced were exacerbated by my own insecurities and self-doubt. Graduate school is no joke, and the process of writing and defending a dissertation is not something that I would wish on my worst enemy (well, maybe my WORST enemy). I had to keep reminding myself that I could succeed and that I was both intelligent and capable enough to finish the graduate program and complete my internship year, which amounted to a year of being placed at a professional training site somewhere in the United States. I don’t want to bore you with the details, but let’s just say that it is a match-based process similar to medical residency programs, and there has been an imbalance for several years now so that there are more candidates than programs available. To sum it up, you have to rank these programs after you (hopefully) get to interview at some solid program sites. One morning in the future, you receive an email that (again, hopefully) informs you that you have “matched” with an internship program of your #1 (or #2, #3, #4… or even #10) choice. Or your email will inform you that you have not matched in the first round, and you are instead in a “clearinghouse” wherein you will hopefully get matched with a site that did not successfully identify a student in the first round. Oh- and by the way- if you don’t complete an internship, then the money, time, and coursework you have thus far invested/completed counts basically for nothing and you cannot earn your degree. Oops. I bored you with the details. But this was my life for the better of six years while I prepared for my masters degree and then my doctoral degree. As you can imagine, my anxiety was high and my self-doubt came in waves that, at times, felt overwhelming. It’s nothing new or unique, as many professional programs have these kinds of requirements and similar issues, but I definitely began to wonder how much all of this was affecting myself and my colleagues from an emotional standpoint (and there is a lot of new research out that suggests that graduate school takes a heavy emotional toll).
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I own and see clients at a private practice south of Atlanta conducting primarily individual counseling. I am hoping to add ADHD, Learning Disorder, and Autism Spectrum assessment services in the very near future- so don’t hesitate to call if you are in need of these services as well. I enjoy working with adults of all ages, and I would say that my specialty is working with women who are dealing with difficult life transitions, particularly divorce and separation. In addition, I have a background in college counseling and enjoy helping young adults (and all adults) work to identify what they might want out of life and a career which could include identifying skills, interests, values, and even personality types. I also have a background working with the LGBTQIAP+ population, and specifically, work to support those identifying as transgender who are seeking additional resources, as these resources can be difficult to locate in certain communities.
My primary focus and the work that I truly enjoy is helping women find their voice. This can take many shapes and forms and usually involves helping women identify and learn to work toward meeting their needs. I believe that many women have learned to suppress their emotions or been told over and over again that their emotions don’t matter or are too “much”; this, unfortunately, tends to translate into suppressing one’s needs and shutting off an important aspect of communication with oneself and others. This is the work I feel the most pulled to do and am probably the proudest of, and it seems to be the work that my clients benefit from the most.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I would say that luck has played a role in large and small ways. I have been fortunate in my life in ways that others have not been fortunate. Compared to some, I am probably a bit less fortunate; however, I have also led a very privileged life overall. I have never been without food to eat or clean water to drink. I have never gone without shelter. I have never feared for my physical safety on a daily basis. I’m not sure if this is luck, but I would call it fortune, and I try to maintain awareness of the role this fortune has played in my life as many others have not been able to take these same things for granted. By keeping an awareness of this privilege, I believe I may be better able to serve individuals who have not had this privilege and can work harder to acknowledge the divide that exists between my world and theirs so that I do not appear to be just another ignorant or oblivious part of the masses. I may not be able to solve the problems of the injustices of society, but I don’t have to act as though they do not exist and instead should acknowledge them, and I especially strive to adhere to this in my role as a therapist.
Pricing:
- $150 for initial sessions and follow-up sessions (full hour)
Contact Info:
- Address: 19 Perry Street
Suite 214
Newnan, GA 30263 - Website: hannoncounseling.com
- Phone: 470-869-0628
- Email: hannoncounseling@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandahannoncounseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandahannonphd
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
