Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Tuck.
Hi Alexandra, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey to being a psychotherapist began shortly after I finished my undergraduate degree. At the time, I had studied Communication and Dance, and my plan was to be a journalist. However, upon graduating, I began seeing a therapist who really changed my life. I realized in the therapy room that I felt called to go in to the profession. I felt that if I could impact just one person’s life in the way that my therapist had impacted mine, it would be fulfilling and meaningful work. One day, I left a therapy session, went home and applied to graduate programs, and never looked back!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course there have been challenges along the way, but I feel fortunate that through hard work and a strong support system, my journey has been relatively smooth. After completing my graduate degree in 2017, I began working in two private practices under the supervision of two incredibly knowledgable and experienced therapists (Dr. Jennifer O’Connor and Heidi Bacani) who mentored me and helped me learn and achieve my goal of being able to open my own practice. Additionally, I had the opportunity to work at a variety of levels of care within eating disorder treatment centers which was extremely valuable but challenging work.
In order to become a licensed therapist, it is required to do 3,000 hours of therapeutic work under supervision, before sitting for two licensing exams. So, it was exciting to become licensed in 2019, and then the pandemic hit, which changed the trajectory of my business in a big way. Suddenly therapy was moving online without much precedent, and unfortunately the pandemic had a massive impact on people’s mental health as a whole, but especially on people suffering from disordered eating and anxiety, with rates of prevalence and need for treatment skyrocketing. It was difficult to meet the rising demand for therapy while also navigating the pandemic on a personal level, while figuring out how to move my practice in to a virtual space entirely.
As things have settled down in the time since, it’s been refreshing to maintain my private practice and get to focus on building a business that serves my clients without being in the throws of a global crisis. Being a business owner presents challenges in and of itself, but it’s all very gratifying work.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Alexandra Armas Tuck Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc. ?
My business is a therapy private practice offering individual, couples and family psychotherapy services. My practice is fully virtual, which allows me to see clients located in California and South Carolina. My area of expertise is in the treatment of eating disorders, which is the population that I am most passionate about serving. I have worked at all levels of care in eating disorder treatment, ranging from residential to outpatient treatment, which allows me to understand and tailor my approach to the unique needs of each client, while incorporating the principles of Health at Every Size and Intuitive Eating in to a comprehensive treatment plan. In addition, I love working with teens and young adults who navigating the challenges of emerging adulthood, and have a lot of experience working with anxiety disorders including OCD.
I’m proud of creating a brand that is rooted in dismantling the myths of diet culture and fatphobia, while empowering people to experience the freedom of approaching their relationship to food and their bodies in a life enhancing, and sustainable way.
As a psychotherapist, it is my hope to walk alongside clients on their journey toward self discovery, whether they are seeking help exploring a current or past issue, soul searching, or just looking for someone to talk to. My hope is that the therapy room is a safe place to grow, and I am committed to helping my clients build secure and fulfilling relationships by providing warm and empathic services.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my practice so that I can offer therapeutic services to more people. I hope to have the opportunity to supervise unlicensed therapists on their journey toward licensure in the generous way that was done for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexandraarmastherapy.com/
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/361112
