One of the best parts of the Hub is the people in it — so we’re introducing them. Meet Amanda Tallman, LMSW, a Phoenix therapist with Marley Mental Health who knows, firsthand, what it costs to be the person everyone else leans on. An Army veteran, a doctoral candidate, and the founder of a nonprofit for those who serve, Amanda has built her practice around the people who rarely stop to care for themselves.
Who Amanda works with
Amanda is drawn to what she calls high-capacity people — the ones carrying a lot of responsibility. Her clients are often veterans, first responders, healthcare professionals, attorneys, business leaders, parents of adopted or foster children, and people who’ve lived through trauma. “They’re often the ones everyone else depends on,” she says, “but they rarely give themselves permission to ask for help.” Her work centers on helping them move through stubborn habits, burnout, and major life transitions — toward more resilience, healthier relationships, and a stronger sense of purpose.
What drew her to this work
For Amanda, this calling is personal. She served in the U.S. Army for more than a decade, including a deployment to Afghanistan, and she understands both the strengths and the strains that come with a life of service. Those years shaped the therapist she became — one who genuinely grasps the demands of high-stakes work while helping people “heal, grow, and rediscover hope.” Beyond her clinical work, she’s pursuing a Doctorate of Behavioral Health at Arizona State University and founded First Page, a nonprofit serving veterans, first responders, and their families through equine-assisted learning and community programs.
Why horses
That nonprofit work points to one of the most distinctive parts of Amanda’s practice: equine-assisted therapy. Many of her clients spend their days thinking, planning, and solving problems. Horses ask something different of them. “Horses invite them to slow down and become more aware of what’s happening beneath the surface,” she explains. Because horses respond to authenticity rather than words or titles, they offer immediate, honest feedback about stress, boundaries, trust, and emotional regulation. It’s a way, in Amanda’s words, to “move beyond insight and begin practicing change in real time” — something talk therapy alone can’t always reach.
Phoenix, community, and how she recharges
Amanda’s work is rooted in place. “Phoenix has an incredible community of veterans, first responders, and people who genuinely care about serving others,” she says — a spirit that fuels both her therapy practice and her nonprofit. Outside the office, she’s with her husband and their three kids, working with horses, getting out into Arizona’s outdoors (she’s a fan of the Valley’s hiking trails), and, in her own words, “running very very slowly.” It’s a grounded, human balance — the kind she helps her clients find, too.
Working with Amanda
Amanda is currently accepting new adult clients through Marley Mental Health, with daytime availability on Tuesdays and Thursdays this fall. You can learn more and get in touch on Amanda’s profile, or browse all of our Phoenix therapists to find the right fit for you.
If someone in your life is carrying more than they let on, our guide to supporting someone who’s struggling is a good place to start — and Amanda is exactly the kind of therapist who knows that strength and asking for help are not opposites.