We recently had the chance to connect with Amanda Hearne and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Amanda, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about my business is that therapy, especially EMDR, is a quick fix or something you only turn to in a crisis. Many people believe EMDR is about erasing memories or reliving every detail of trauma, when in reality, it’s about helping the brain process experiences so they no longer feel stuck in the present. What I do isn’t just about symptom reduction, it’s about restoring people’s ability to live fully in their day-to-day lives, whether that’s improving relationships, feeling more grounded, or finally being able to move past old patterns. My work is also deeply relational: it’s not me ‘doing EMDR to someone,’ it’s walking with them through a process that helps them reconnect with parts of themselves they may have lost along the way. That’s the part that often gets overlooked: healing trauma is not just about the past, it’s about giving people back their present and their future.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Amanda Hearne, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified EMDR therapist, and I run Live and Align, a virtual therapy and consultation practice serving adults in California and Texas. I specialize in helping people heal from trauma, anxiety, and self-worth wounds so they can stop living in survival mode and start living in alignment with every version of themselves.
What makes my work unique is twofold: I use EMDR therapy, which helps the brain actually reprocess traumatic experiences rather than just talk around them, and I bring my own lived experience of healing trauma into the work. I know what it takes to commit to this kind of therapy because I’ve done it myself.
Beyond individual therapy, I also consult with other EMDR therapists who are working toward certification, which allows me to impact healing on both the client and professional level. Right now, I’m excited about expanding my offerings through digital resources, like my EMDR prep guide and guided self-love journal, that make healing tools more accessible. At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: when people heal their past, they create freedom in their present and future. That’s the change I’m passionate about helping people make.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
From a trauma lens, what often breaks the bonds between people are unhealed wounds – whether from childhood, past relationships, or painful life events. When those experiences aren’t fully processed, they can create patterns of disconnection: difficulty trusting, shutting down, overreacting, or feeling unsafe in closeness. It’s rarely about not caring for the other person, but about the nervous system protecting itself in ways that can push people apart.
What restores bonds is healing at that deeper level. EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess stuck experiences so they no longer hijack the present. When people feel safer in their own body and mind, they can show up differently in their relationships with more openness, compassion, and trust. In many ways, repairing bonds isn’t just about better communication skills, it’s about restoring a sense of safety within ourselves, which makes authentic connection possible again.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
Yes, I’ll never forget my very first experience in therapy. For the first time, I felt like someone was truly listening without judgment, without an agenda, and without needing me to perform or explain myself away. That safe space was life changing because it showed me what it feels like to be fully seen and heard, and it planted the seed for the work I do now.
That’s also what makes therapy unique: it’s not just about problem-solving, it’s about having a space where your story matters, where your nervous system can finally relax, and where healing can begin. Experiencing that myself not only changed my own life, but it’s why I’m passionate about offering the same kind of space to others through my EMDR practice.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
In the mental health field, fads tend to focus on surface-level quick fixes – things that sound appealing because they promise immediate relief but don’t create long-term change. A true foundational shift, however, is something that’s backed by neuroscience, clinical research, and lived results. It changes how we understand healing at its core.
That’s why I’m so passionate about EMDR therapy. It’s not just a trend; it’s been around for decades, is extensively researched, and has transformed how we treat trauma by targeting the root of symptoms rather than just coping with them. Foundational shifts create ripple effects. When people heal at the nervous system level, their relationships, choices, and overall wellbeing change too. That’s how you know something isn’t just a fad, but a real evolution in the way we approach human healing.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
For a while, I did what I was ‘supposed’ to do and I followed a path that fit my family’s footsteps. It looked right on paper, but it didn’t feel like alignment. The deeper call was the work I do now: EMDR therapy. I built Live and Align because I believe healing should change how you live today, not just how you talk about yesterday. Every time a client reaches that final session – when we look back at goals met, triggers quieted, and relationships repaired, I’m reminded I chose the right path. I wasn’t told to do this; I was born for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.liveandaligntherapy.com
- Instagram: @theemdrhealingpractice
Image Credits
Photos by Kate Gardner and Stephen Gorme
