Amanda Sovik-Johnston, Ph.D.

Hi. I’m the owner of Virginia Family Therapy and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in working with pre-teen and teenage girls as well as families of all ages. I have a special interest in working with families of female physicians as well as high-achieving athletes. I understand how hard it is to raise a family and feel so lucky to be able to experience the highs and lows of life with my clients. As a therapist, I am solution-oriented, offer suggestions regularly, and actively teach people healthier ways of interacting during sessions.  I balance this orientation with warmth and empathy.

I have worked with youth and families for over twenty years.  I have experience working with children with severe emotional disabilities in residential settings, served as a school psychologist for Albemarle County, and worked in UVA’s Department of Family Medicine. I am an adjunct faculty at UVA’s Clinical and School Psychology Department and co-authored the curriculum for the Young Women Leaders Program and book chapter A Competence Approach to Therapy with Families with Multiple Problems.  I also co-founded Charlottesville Families in Action, a group dedicated to making community engagement a family value.

I earned my Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees from the University of Virginia. I have been a fan of UVA basketball since the U-Hall days and jump at the chance to talk about Tony Bennett during therapy sessions.  My husband, Robert Johnston, is a child psychiatrist in town and our three blonde-headed boys keep us laughing (and cleaning) regularly.  I am also a competitive Masters swimmer and love working with student-athletes!