Meet Lucy Drew | AMFT, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lucy Drew and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lucy, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Now that I am a therapist, I love hearing stories from my friends and peers about their experiences in their own therapy. What strikes me is that many feel their talk therapy has plateaued in some way, yet they are too uncomfortable to address this with their therapists. Often, they will simply terminate treatment without discussing their concerns.
One element I incorporate into my sessions is the understanding that our relational patterns with those closest to us will inevitably emerge within the therapeutic alliance. Are you a chronic people pleaser? You might find yourself wishing you had voiced something to your therapist but held back due to fear of their disappointment.
This is why I am passionate about incorporating a psychodynamic approach in my practice. Psychodynamic therapy welcomes exploration of unconscious behavioral patterns, recognizing they will manifest within the therapeutic relationship. The key is creating a non-judgmental environment where clients feel completely safe to share authentically with me. This facilitates the unlearning of relational dynamics that no longer serve them. When undesirable behavioral patterns are diminished through imperfect transformation in session, a client can understand how to take that insight into their outside world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an AMFT therapist currently accepting clients throughout the state of California. I specialize in EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a breakthrough treatment that uses bilateral stimulation to unlock the brain’s natural healing capacity and transform how traumatic memories are stored) for trauma, OCD, and relationship anxiety to create noticeable, lasting change.
I look at OCD, anxiety, and the intrusive thoughts tethered to both as symptoms. With EMDR, we are healing the root cause of the distress, therefore lowering the symptomatology. Many treat OCD with ERP alone; I am more holistic. I want to heal from the ground up and incorporate many elements of various techniques.
My journey with EMDR began when one of my favorite professors of all time, Dr. Jeshana Avent-Johnson, PsyD, expressed the notion that if we are not offering EMDR to our clients, then what are we really doing. I took that to heart and first signed up to try EMDR in my own personal therapy. The first time I experienced EMDR, I told my therapist afterward, “I think I feel… high.” She told me, “No, your nervous system is at homeostasis for the first time in years.” This was so profound for me that I got trained to administer EMDR as quickly as possible.
I remember my very first class in my master’s program when my professor asked about our previous careers, backgrounds, and what brought us to this moment. When I mentioned my extensive history in improv comedy, he paused thoughtfully and said, “You have quite the upper hand here due to the nature of that training.” I hadn’t anticipated such a response. He went on to explain how deep, transformative listening is essential in both improv and therapy. We must learn to listen, collaborate, and build meaningfully off of what was just shared.
I work particularly well with independent thinkers who may have resisted therapy in the past, offering an action-oriented, engaging environment where authentic breakthrough happens through bold, creative, and humor-friendly sessions. As my therapy career has unfolded, there have been countless special moments in session where my clients and I share beautiful bursts of laughter, or they express that they genuinely feel heard and understood. This has been one of the most unexpected gifts my career path has offered.
I cherish my clients and the profound honor of walking beside them as we navigate the depths of their inner world together. Having the opportunity to engage in this work daily is something I never could have envisioned back in 2015 as I was graduating from performing arts school, yet it has been beautifully serendipitous how everything seemed to weave together.
Today, I’m channeling this same spirit of discovery and connection through my psychology platform, Field Trip Energy, where I share daily insights on TikTok and YouTube, approaching each piece of content with the curiosity and wonder of exploring uncharted territory and treating each day with field trip energy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d listen to jazz at The Baked Potato, have a picnic lunch on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, swim in Malibu, see Cooking with Gas at the Groundlings Theater, go to a talk at the Philosophical Research Society, go out dancing, and visit LACMA and MOCA.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank my family members and dear friends who have supported me in every step of my professional journey. Going back to get my master’s degree and become a therapist after a decade-long career in comedy and performing could have seemed like something completely from left field to my inner circle at the time, but I never received anything but encouragement. That is something I deeply cherish. I’d also like to thank my ex-boyfriend who was an integral part of my journey in going back to school. He opened my world to the idea that I could become a therapist, and his belief in me was invaluable.
I once had the honor of hearing Oprah speak at UCLA. She mentioned something I’ll never forget. She said every guest she ever interviewed, from everyday people to the President of the United States, asked the same question when the interview ended: “Was that okay?” We all need a reminder that we are doing great. We need encouragement. I could not have done any of this without those I love.

Website: https://www.lucydrew.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Fieldtripenergy

Other: Tik Tok : https://www.tiktok.com/@lucydrewlol

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