Therapist
Amy Jo Arras
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Individual Therapy | Family Therapy | Teen Therapy
Specializing in fortifying families, interpersonal functioning, and life transitions
Amy Jo offers individual and family therapy to enhance the relationships you hold with yourself and others. Located in St. Petersburg, these therapy sessions will allow for visibility, support, and manageable strategies- created and tailored for you. You will learn the tools to masterfully approach difficult conversations and situations, engage in meaningful relationships, and foster internal empowerment.
What Is It Like To Work With Me?
I am vibrant, creative, and collaborative where I strive for you to feel inspired and understood. My philosophy is equal parts structure and support with encouraging transformative new behaviors, thoughts, and ideas that align with your goals! I am deeply honored to work with you as we walk through this season of your life.
Amy Jo’s Rate: $140/session
My Story
I grew up as an only child in a deeply rural, low-income area of Ohio. While in the throes of adolescence, I developed lifelong chronic health issues that severely affected the relationships I held with my peers, parents, and myself. With no access to mental health resources or support, I felt completely alone. As the relationship with myself suffered due to illness, I felt like a bystander witnessing my academics plummet, the relationship with my parents strain, and struggling to interact with my classmates.
By the time I reached college, I was lost in a world where all my peers seemed to have their lives figured out. My head was spinning as I tried to learn how to choose my college major, make big goals for my future, and somehow find "healthy" relationships (I had no idea what this meant at the time!). I felt utterly lost on my journey to self discovery.
How I Found This Work
I felt a total disconnect from myself — I was a complete stranger to my own goals and dreams in life. Through great exploration, I found my passion for studying psychology with keen interest on studying all forms of relationships. My inquisitive mind sought to understand what creates long-lasting, satisfactory connections with others. As I navigated through graduate school and my internship, my focus remained clear — understanding how each person recognizes and pursues healthier relationships.
My Approach To Therapy
This passion for relational work has led to years of fortifying bonds personally, romantically, interpersonally, and familially. We all deeply seek community and support, but many of us have felt invalidated or burned by past experiences. My goal is to help each person learn to compassionately understand themselves and discover new avenues to improve connections with their environment.
I am a big proponent of homework assignments (no, not filling out paper worksheets) in between our sessions to continue our work — true mastery comes from consistent practice in your daily life.
If you recognize a need to make adjustments in how you present in your relationships, let's work together. I am here to walk down the path with each individual to help them find understanding, connection, and fulfillment.
Training & Qualifications | Mental Health Therapist in St. Petersburg, FL
Qualifications and Credentials
Kelly blends formal training, lived experience, and professional advocacy to support women navigating motherhood, identity, and mental health.
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Wake Forest University
Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern at Sunshine City Counseling
Completed training with the Postpartum Stress Center (Karen Kleiman’s perinatal program)
Undergoing Tholage training, specialized trauma training, along with continued education through Postpartum Support International (PSI)
Presented for the past two years at the Women’s Mental Health Conference at Yale University as a subject matter expert on maternal mental health, and provided guest teaching on perinatal mental health for Wake Forest University
Published in two scholarly journals on topics related to perinatal/maternal mental health
Areas of Expertise
Anxiety & Overthinking – Quiet the mental noise and find calm.
Burnout & Stress Management – Reclaim your energy and set sustainable boundaries.
Depression & Low Mood – Feel more like yourself again with gentle, supportive care.
Postpartum Anxiety & Postpartum Depression – Compassionate care through the ups and downs of motherhood.
Infertility & Fertility-Related Stress – Navigate the emotional impact of fertility challenges with care and support
Life Transitions & Role Changes – Adjust to new seasons of life with clarity and confidence.
Self-Esteem & Identity Work – Reconnect with who you are and what matters to you.
Work/Life Balance – Build a life that feels more spacious, aligned, and fulfilling.
Start Therapy in St. Petersburg, Fl
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Finding the right therapist is important, so we offer a free consultation to discuss your needs and match you with the perfect therapist. Choose a time that works for you, and we’ll handle the rest.
Connect With A Therapist
Once scheduled, you’ll meet with your therapist either online in a secure, confidential session or in our therapy offices in South Pasadena, Fl. Our compassionate team of therapists are experienced in anxiety, depression, and more.
Start Your Therapy Journey
Whether you prefer in-person sessions or the convenience of online therapy, we’re here to support you. From short-term guidance to ongoing therapy, we’ll help you navigate life’s challenges with care, flexibility, and expertise—wherever you feel most comfortable.
Who Amy Jo Works Best With
People willing to recognize their role in current relationships- and who are ready to make impactful change
Those who are seeking assistance with life transitions/coming-of-age experiences
Clients ready to work on grief- loss of a relationship, navigating chronic health, death and bereavement
Families who are willing to individually and collectively do the work to grow stronger- striving to find joy and community with one another
Parent(s) seeking to increase their parent management skills- learn all the right tools to respond, not react when parenting
Kelly’s Therapy Approach | Individual Counseling in St. Petersburg, FL
Kelly offers a warm, relational approach to therapy for women navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, and postpartum challenges. She integrates the following modalities based on your needs:
Internal Family Systems (IFS):
Helping you understand and care for the different “parts” of you that show up in stress, self-criticism, or emotional overwhelm
Narrative Therapy:
Exploring the stories you’ve been told—or tell yourself—and gently rewriting them in a way that honors your growth
Trauma-Informed Care:
Supporting you in healing past pain at your pace, with safety, consent, and compassion
Mindfulness & Somatic Practices:
Guiding you to reconnect with your body, calm your nervous system, and feel more grounded
Values-Based Goal Setting:
Clarifying what matters most to you so that therapy supports real-life change, not just insight
Compassion-Focused Therapy:
Replacing inner guilt and shame with gentleness, especially around motherhood, identity, and life transitions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Working With Amy Jo Arras
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Kelly specializes in working with women (17+) navigating anxiety, burnout, postpartum challenges, and major life transitions. She’s especially passionate about supporting new moms, women feeling overwhelmed by work/life balance, and those struggling with self-worth or identity.
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Your first session with Kelly is all about getting to know you. You’ll talk about what’s been bringing you in, what you hope to work on, and how therapy can support your goals. It’s a no-pressure space to be heard, ask questions, and begin building a connection. Kelly will go at your pace and meet you exactly where you are.
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Kelly works with women (17+) who are navigating anxiety, stress, postpartum depression and anxiety, burnout, and life transitions. She’s especially passionate about helping new moms, women adjusting to major changes, and those feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of who they are anymore.
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Sunshine City Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not accept insurance directly. However, we’re happy to provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance provider for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Many of our clients use their HSA or FSA cards as well.
Visit Our Mental Health Clinic in St. Pete
Physical Address: 1615 Pasadena Ave Suite #330 South Pasadena, FL 33707
Hours
Monday: 9AM–8PM
Tuesday: 9AM–8PM
Wednesday: 9AM–8PM
Thursday: 9AM–8PM
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Phone
(727)-940-9538
Serving clients across St. Petersburg, South Pasadena, Downtown St. Pete, Old Northeast, Historic Kenwood, Gulfport, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, and greater Pinellas County — plus virtual sessions across Florida.
