Dr. Amy Papinchak

I am a licensed clinical psychologist at Old Town Psychology. I provide individual therapy for children, teens, and adults and am dedicated to creating a supportive, person-centered environment where clients feel understood, valued, and empowered. I prioritize building strong therapeutic relationships that are grounded in empathy and unconditional positive regard to help clients feel safe as they work toward meaningful growth and lasting change.

I specialize in working with clients experiencing anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, stress, life transitions, emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, selective mutism, and trauma. I approach therapy by looking at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all interact and influence each other. I then look at ways to change, manage, and cope with various thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a way that supports each client’s individual therapy goals. I use an integrative, evidence-based approach that incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness practices, attachment theory, and trauma-informed care. I also take a play-based approach with children that allows them to express and process thoughts and feelings through activities, art, and play. My work is tailored to meet each client’s unique developmental and emotional needs.

I earned my PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I completed my doctoral internship at Community Services Institute in Springfield, MA and my postdoctoral training at the Capital Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Bethesda, MD and Expand Psychology in Falls Church and Alexandria, VA. My professional background includes working with children and adults involved with the Florida Department of Children and Families, conducting developmental assessments in Miami-Dade County Head Start schools, and providing therapy in university counseling centers, community mental health settings, and private practice.