Rate My Professor Amanda Olson

Amanda Olson serves as Clinical Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Program in the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University, a position she has held since 2022. She earned a Master of Advanced Study in Marriage and Family Therapy from Arizona State University in 2010 and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northern Arizona University in 2007. Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Arizona (LMFT-15125) since May 2014 and an approved supervisor by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners since the same date, Olson has practiced as a Marriage and Family Therapist since 2011. In her academic role, she teaches graduate-level courses such as FAS 570: Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy, FAS 572: Advanced Techniques in Marriage and Family Therapy, FAS 576: Applied Issues in Human Development: Psychopathology, FAS 578: Applied Issues in Sexuality for MFT, and FAS 580: MFT Practicum. She develops assignments, grades student work, provides feedback, facilitates relationships with clinical internship sites, and addresses student performance concerns. Previously, as Associate Faculty in 2020 and 2021, she instructed FAS 574: Family Theory for MFT, prepared students for licensure, and collaborated on program matters. Earlier guest lectures at Arizona State University included topics on parenting preschool and school-aged children, developmental stages, and risk/suicide assessment in 2013 and 2014.

Olson's extensive clinical experience spans over a decade at the Arizona Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic, where she has served as Senior Clinician and Clinical Supervisor since July 2016, providing psychotherapy to 10-15 couples, families, and individuals weekly, managing documentation, and supervising intern clinicians with over 300 hours of therapy sessions. Prior roles at the clinic included Clinical Supervisor and Clinician from 2014 to 2018, Clinical Coordinator from 2014 to 2017, and Associate Clinician from 2011 to 2014. She began her clinical training as a Clinical Intern at Arizona’s Children Association from January to December 2010, delivering therapy to 15-20 children and families, completing documentation, and coordinating care. Olson holds numerous professional trainings, including Emotionally Focused Therapy for Difficult Couples (2019), Gottman Method Levels 1 and 2 (2024), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2020, 2021), LGBTQ Cultural Competency (2019), PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator (2021), Healing Grief & Loss (2022), and Transforming Trauma with Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (2023). In service to the program, she co-chairs MAS-MFT Capstone Projects and Comprehensive Exams since 2022 and leads the Co-director Search Committee since 2023. She was nominated for the SSFD Outstanding New Faculty Award in May 2023.