About Dr. Craig

Amanda Craig, PhD is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Lower Fairfield County Connecticut and New York City. A native of Richfield, Minnesota, Dr. Craig has been practicing for more than 20 years. She has worked with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in a variety of settings including research departments, juvenile correction facilities, high schools, Fortune 500 companies, substance abuse programs, university/college classrooms and private practice.

Dr. Craig specializes in treatment of relationship issues such as communication, conflict resolution and infidelity as well as individual challenges like depression, anxiety, addiction and life-work harmony. There are three things she knows for sure: 1) We are not defined by adversities, but rather how we handle them. 2) Taking healthy risks, setting boundaries and stepping outside our comfort zone will bring fulfillment in both life and relationships. 3) Make the most of today. Whatever that means to you, no matter how small it seems.

Dr. Craig lives in Darien, CT with her husband, five-year-old daughter, 12-year-old son, 10 chickens, one dog, two cats and two fish.

Message from Dr. Craig

Navigating relationships, whether romantic, friendship or familial, is never easy, not even for trained professionals like myself! After all, humans are ...human. We can be inconsistent, moody, self-absorbed or lazy — and that's just the adults. We can sense when others are rejecting, criticizing, demanding, unavailable, selfish or controlling. This often leaves us feeling lonely and angry, sometimes leading us to give up on relationships.

When a relationship is not well, it feels like our world is crumbling, doesn't it? No one ever said it was easy, but these experiences can be simple and enjoyable if we understand that the core of every close and healthy relationship is the emotional connection between people.

Emotional connection is a major focus of my work, whether it be in personal sessions, group settings, or my writing. This is because when an emotional connection exists, a spark happens between two people. The spark is real. The light turns on. When this happens, we feel that someone gets us, likes us, understands us, accepts us and will always be there for us. We feel close, maybe even appreciated, and most certainly connected.

This is where we want our relationships to be. My passion is showing you how to get there.

How I work

I often say your relationship is my client.

My work is centered around preventing relationships from drifting off track and repairing relationships that have. I start with understanding the places where your relationships are struggling and exploring the path to closeness, connection, and/or healing.

When I work with individuals, we look to understand your role in the relationship discord, your patterns of communication, your history of hurts and your unique strengths and gifts.

Some couples I work with are trying to find intimacy again while others are seeking a new relationship after divorce that puts their kids first. A healthy family has a lot of different looks. We will find what fits for your family.

When I work with families, we look for the patterns of interactions, how you each listen and share, what the process feels like and how you protect yourselves when relationships hurt. Because my work is relational, sometimes I bring one family member into session and other times several family members attend. Each path is different, but is meant to achieve the goal of family harmony.

I tend to work more with parents than kids as I find parents often need the time and space to talk through what it's like to parent their child. I want parents to build a strong relationship with their children and I coach them on the how to’s and why nots.

Take a look around the website and contact me if you think I can help or answer any questions.

Best wishes to you and your family.