M.A.

*** Amanda is accepting new patients ***

Hi, I am so happy you are here!

My name is Amanda Malka (she/her) and I am a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in California. I work with couples and adult individuals virtually and specialize in working with the LGBTQIA+ population.

I help couples as they navigate their relationship, including intimacy challenges, the early stages of marriage and family planning, or struggling to prioritize quality time while balancing demanding careers and the many stressors of adult life. I also support couples in exploring the underlying interaction cycles that contribute to disconnection and communication breakdowns.

My approach is collaborative, holistic, trauma-informed, empathetic, and nonjudgmental. With experience working with diverse populations, I provide therapy through a systemic and social justice lens. Couples in the queer community face unique challenges, such as living in a heteronormative society, confronting prejudice and discrimination, and sometimes lacking support from family and friends. These obstacles can affect feelings of safety, acceptance, and partnership within the relationship. As a queer therapist, I am dedicated to helping unpack and address these systemic influences collaboratively.

I am passionate about providing gender-affirming care and supporting adult individuals in exploring and better understanding their identity. Some of the goals I regularly work with clients to achieve are increasing self-acceptance, managing anxiety and depression, overcoming people-pleasing tendencies, and setting healthy boundaries in relationships.

Change can be scary and feel overwhelming, and you do not have to walk this journey alone. It is so brave of you to take this first step of seeking support.

I am a registered associate therapist (AMFT 145156) and I am supervised by Dr. Jennifer Piper (PSY 28988).