About Amanda Morris, LCSW-BACS, CFSW
I’m here to help you reclaim your life.
Baton Rouge Therapist Specializing in Emotional Abuse & Controlling Relationships
Hi, I’m Amanda. I may look like an average, boring middle-aged white lady, but don’t let that fool you—there’s plenty of personality in here when you get to know me a little. I could try to sound all fancy and professional, but that’s not really me or how I work with clients. Hopefully, what you read will help you decide if I’ll work well with you. If you’re interested, the “professional” stuff is included towards the end.
I became a therapist to help others who have been through some shit and lived to tell about it. Asking for help (or even acknowledging that you might need it) is scary. I happen to hate asking for help. I could be dangling from a cliff by my fingers, with two huge firemen hoisting me up to safety, and I’d still try to do it all by myself. But doing everything on my own just hasn’t worked. Through my own therapy, I’ve learned that life gets a lot better (and easier) when you allow people to help you.
Because of my own trauma history (which may be different from yours), it seems so much easier to help other people with their problems than to risk possible rejection, ridicule or indifference if I actually ask for help. Here’s the thing, though: Asking for help is necessary, because you cannot possibly get through this life without it. And another, maybe more important thing to accept is this: you are worth caring for.
I specialize in working with women who are navigating emotionally abusive or controlling relationships, serving clients in Louisiana, Florida, and Virginia. Maybe you're questioning whether what's happening is really abuse, or you know something is wrong but feel stuck, confused, or ashamed. Many of my clients struggle with people-pleasing, anxiety, and putting everyone else's needs before their own—traits that often make them vulnerable to manipulative partners.
Whether you're dealing with narcissistic abuse, gaslighting, coercive control, or trauma bonding, I understand the unique challenges you're facing. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and you're in exactly the right place. When you reach out, you’re validating that your feelings, needs and experiences matter, which is something you may not have felt a whole lot in your life. It’s taking your power back from anyone who made you feel you were unloved, unimportant, invisible, unacceptable, too much, or not enough.
Therapy has helped me in more ways than I can count. It can help you, too. Whether you come for just a few sessions, or you stay much longer…it’s so worth it. If you feel guilty when you take time for yourself, or you don’t seem to have the time to begin with—you’re in the right place.
Many of my clients feel just like you—pulled in a thousand different directions, overwhelmed by expectations and a strong need to please others. But I want you to know that you are so much more than someone’s wife, partner, mom, daughter, or employee, and you don’t have to keep putting yourself last. Your worth has always been there and always will be, no matter what has happened to you. It may be hard to imagine right now, but it is possible to say no without feeling guilty, to be unapologetically yourself, and to have more of what you want in life. My favorite thing in the entire world is helping women recognize their worth, break free from relationships that diminish them, and reclaim their lives—and I'd love to help you, too.
The best time to start fighting for yourself, your happiness, your safety, your peace—is now.
I know what it's like to feel trapped in emotionally abusive and controlling relationships—whether you call it abuse or not. I understand the confusion of trauma bonding, the exhaustion of people-pleasing, and the constant anxiety that comes with walking on eggshells.
Who I Work With
As a Baton Rouge therapist specializing in emotional abuse and controlling relationships, I work primarily with women throughout Louisiana, Florida, and Virginia who are navigating some of the most confusing and painful relationship dynamics.
You might be here because you're questioning whether your relationship is emotionally abusive, or you're experiencing patterns that don't feel right but you're not sure what to call them. Maybe you recognize terms like narcissistic abuse, gaslighting, or coercive control—or maybe these are completely new to you. Either way, if something in your relationship feels wrong, you're in the right place.
I specialize in helping women who are:
Questioning their reality.
You're constantly second-guessing yourself, wondering if you're overreacting, or feeling like you're losing your grip on what's real. Gaslighting has made you doubt your own perceptions, memories, and feelings.
Experiencing emotional abuse or manipulation.
Your partner criticizes you, controls your decisions, monitors your whereabouts, isolates you from friends and family, or uses silent treatment and withdrawal to punish you. The relationship may involve patterns of narcissistic abuse—love-bombing followed by devaluation, constant criticism, and a lack of empathy for your needs.
Struggling with trauma bonding.
You feel unable to leave even though you know you should. The relationship has an intense emotional grip on you—cycling between highs and lows, hope and despair. You feel addicted to the relationship despite knowing it's hurting you.
Caught in people-pleasing patterns.
You say yes when you mean no, prioritize everyone else's needs over your own, struggle to set boundaries, and feel responsible for your partner's emotions. Your self-worth has become tied to keeping the peace and making others happy, leaving you depleted and resentful.
Dealing with chronic anxiety and self-doubt.
You experience constant worry, especially around your partner. You walk on eggshells, overthink every interaction, and feel physically anxious—racing heart, trouble sleeping, stomach issues. The anxiety keeps you hypervigilant and unable to relax, even in your own home.
Feeling stuck between staying and leaving.
Part of you wants to run, but another part holds onto hope that things will get better. You might be financially dependent, worried about your children, concerned about what others will think, or simply exhausted by the thought of starting over.
Ready to reclaim your life.
Despite the confusion and fear, you know something needs to change. You're tired of feeling small, invisible, and unworthy. You're ready to reconnect with yourself, trust your own judgment again, and build a life that feels authentic and safe.
You don't need to have all the answers or know exactly what you want. You don't need proof that it's "bad enough" or a perfect label for what you're experiencing. Whether you're dealing with emotional abuse in an intimate relationship, recovering from a narcissistic relationship, or working through the people-pleasing and anxiety that keep you stuck in unhealthy patterns—I'm here to help you find clarity, heal, and move forward.
I offer both in-person therapy in Baton Rouge and secure online therapy for clients throughout Louisiana, Florida, and Virginia. Wherever you are in your journey, you don't have to do this alone.
My approach:
At the core of my approach to therapy is a belief that every woman deserves to feel confident, safe and loved. And no one has the right to abuse you or make you feel small.
Therapy with me is…
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I will encourage you, support you, and at times, challenge you—in the most helpful way possible. I know this isn't easy, and I am always rooting for you.
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I’m direct, but I won’t pressure you to go anywhere you don’t want to go. You are ultimately the director of your therapy, and I am here to guide and support you every step of the way.
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I work best with women who are motivated and committed to making their growth and healing a priority. I can help you:
Clarify what matters most and what’s getting in the way of your happiness;
Teach you skills to manage your emotions and stress;
Let go of unhelpful thought patterns;
And set healthier boundaries and recover from your relationship trauma.
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I have extensive training in treating emotional abuse, narcissistic abuse, and trauma bonding in relationships. I understand the patterns of gaslighting, coercive control, and how people-pleasing and anxiety can keep you stuck in unhealthy dynamics. I won't minimize your experience or rush you toward any decision about your relationship. Your healing happens at your pace, and I'm here to help you find clarity.
I specialize in helping women heal from emotional abuse and controlling relationships—including narcissistic abuse, coercive control, and patterns of people-pleasing and anxiety that keep you stuck.
I offer in-person therapy in Baton Rouge and online therapy throughout LA, FL, and VA.
My Training & Education
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Master of Social Work from Louisiana State University.
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from Louisiana State University.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor in Louisiana (#7223).
Licensed for telehealth in Florida (#TPSW2396).
Licensed for telehealth in Virginia (#0904014789).
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Specialized training in treating emotional abuse, narcissistic abuse, coercive control, and trauma bonding in relationships. Advanced training in working with clients experiencing gaslighting, people-pleasing patterns, and relationship anxiety.
Annual training in Trauma-Informed Treatment.
Training in Neurodiversity-Affirming Treatment of Adults.
Certified Financial Social Worker (CFSW).
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I have 25 years of clinical experience working with women healing from emotionally abusive and controlling relationships. My approach to therapy is client-centered, trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, and rooted in Attachment-Based Therapy, Relational Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Feminist Therapy and Family Systems Therapy.
I specialize in helping clients recognize patterns of emotional abuse, break free from trauma bonds, and address the people-pleasing and anxiety that often accompany these relationships.
Get in touch
I’m here to help you thrive.
Click here to choose a day and time for a free, 15 minute confidential consultation. I can’t wait to hear from you!
You're so much stronger than you realize.
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You're so much stronger than you realize. —