Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Borlenghi.
Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to Encinitas from Denver in February of 2011 in search of a post-doctoral position. I arrived with my car, my dog, and the weight of significant student debt from graduate school. I was 28 and emerging from a difficult relationship—a time of both transition and uncertainty. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, post-doctoral internships were hard to come by, and I spent several anxious months searching for the right placement.
On one hand, things felt bleak; on the other, I had a strong sense that I was exactly where I was meant to be. Then, in July of that same year, two life-changing events happened in the same week: I was offered a position at Psychiatric Centers at San Diego, and I went on my first date with the man who would later become my husband.
Two and a half years later, I was a licensed psychologist and ready to start my private practice. Early on, I joined the San Diego Psychological Association and served on its board. Through one of the committees, I met a venerable psychologist, Dr. Richard Levak, who became a mentor. We both specialized in personality psychology, and he graciously lent me his office while I built my practice. He also introduced me to the field of media psychology.
Since then, I’ve provided expert commentary for local news stations and served as a psychological consultant for reality television programs such as Survivor. I’ve assisted with casting and supported contestants on location. While I still occasionally consult in that world, my current practice is primarily focused on helping people heal from complex trauma.
Outside of work, I love to play tennis, sail, and write. I’m currently finishing my first novel, which I hope to publish next year.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The struggles of my twenties—and the years before—gave me the wisdom I needed to make my thirties a smoother ride. I had to overcome my own challenges, both through trial by fire and with the support of loving, steady people, to create the healthy life and marriage I had always wanted. Like many psychologists, I came to this work out of a desire to better understand my own history and experiences—and to help others navigating similar paths. I believe this work is most effective when it’s done from a place of having truly reckoned with one’s own struggles first. While we are all still works in progress, I’m grateful to have moved through my thirties and into forties from a steadier, healthier place—one that allows me to offer others guidance that’s grounded in both extensive training and lived experience.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my practice, I treat a wide range of clients but specialize in the complex trauma that arises from abusive or highly dysfunctional family systems. My approach integrates traditional psychodynamic therapy with cutting-edge trauma healing modalities such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Somatic Psychotherapy. I also incorporate personality assessment as both a tool for deepening self-understanding and a way to measure progress throughout therapy. he system I’ve developed—blending traditional and contemporary evidence based therapeutic methods with objective assessment data—appears to be unique among local practitioners, and it allows me to offer clients and collaborators alike a comprehensive, psychologically grounded approach.
In addition to my clinical work, I rely heavily on personality assessment in my consulting work with reality television, where I help production teams understand the psychological dynamics that contribute to compelling and ethical casting.
Additionally, I have an amazing little dog, Penelope, who comes to work with me every day. My clients love her and she is an integral part of the healing process for many.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe in taking informed risks, not blind ones. When I moved to San Diego with nothing but debt and my dog, I knew I was taking a chance; but it was a calculated one. I had researched the opportunities and socio-economic landscape and believed it was a place where I could build the kind of life I wanted. Even then, there were no guarantees.
To me, the best way to approach risk is to balance intuition with information: listen to your gut, then verify the facts. The art lies in finding that equilibrium where instinct and insight meet, and you can move forward with both courage and clarity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drborlenghi.com/
