Amie Harwick
Death of Dr. Amie Nicole Harwick
Dr. Amie Nicole Harwick PhD, MFT | |
|---|---|
 Amie Harwick's last public appearance on Jan. 16, 2020 | |
| Born | May 20, 1981 Sellersville, PA |
| Died | 2020-02-15 West Hollywood, California, USA |
| Cause of death | Homicide |
| Burial place | Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler, PA, USA |
| Other names | Amie Nicole |
| Education | 1). Undergraduate studies at California Polytechnic State University. 2.) Master of Arts in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University and 3). Doctorate of Human Sexuality from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. |
| Alma mater | North Penn High School Class of 1999 |
| Occupation(s) | Marriage and Family Therapist, Psychotherapy, and Sex Therapy |
| Organization | Pineapple Support |
| Known for | 1). Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in Sexual advise and counseling, and 2). Her engagement to Comedian Drew Cary. |
| Notable work | Author of The New Sex Bible for Women (2014) from Quiver Books, and Amie Nicole's Fit to Rock" Workout Video (2010) |
| Parent(s) | Tom and Penny (Kaufman) Harwick |
| Website | http://www.dramieharwick.com/home.html |
Dr. Amie Harwick, Ph.D., MFT, born Amie Nicole Harwick on May 20, 1981, was a licensed marriage and family therapist whose practice was located in West Hollywood California. She was stalked and murdered in her home on Valentines' Day night 2020 allegedly by a man who she had once dated for a few months 10 years prior. The suspect, who she had twice filed restraining orders against, was arrested the next day and is charged for Murder with the special circumstance of 'lying in wait', breaking and entering, and Home burglary.[1] He is currently in jail awaiting trial.[2]
History
Harwick worked as a model and dance performer to pay for her college and university education. She studied Psychology at California Polytechnic University in Pomona, and later earned a Master of Arts degree from Pepperdine University in Clinical Psychology focusing on Marriage and Family Therapy, a Ph.D. from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, and later became a licensed Doctor in Psychotherapy and Sex Therapy.[3] Harwick was a well-known therapist in West Hollywood, specializing in family and sex counseling. She regularly appeared on podcasts, TV and her YouTube channel to discuss her work.[4] At the time of her death she had started working with Pineapple Support, an organization of sex-work-positive mental health professionals that had been founded in late 2017 in the wake of a rash of adult-industry suicides.[5]
Media and Publications
Harwick recorded a fitness workout DVD titled: 'Amie Nicole's Fit to Rock' which was released on her 29th birthday May 20, 2010[6] She also wrote a popular book called The New Sex Bible For Women by Amie Harwick which was released on November 11, 2014.[7]
Engagement to Comedian Drew Carey
Harwick and Carey first met at a party in the summer of 2017 and fell in love with each other. Carey posted a photo of them together on Instagram with the caption: “The face of a lottery winner (L).” Within a year Drew proposed to her and they became engaged.[8][9] The engagement was called off in 2018 and the split was reported as amicable.[10] Carey said of Harwick after her death that she After her death, Carey told NBC that Amie was “A positive force in the world and an unapologetic champion of women”[11]
Arrest and Charges Against Suspect Gareth Pursehouse
Harwick's alleged killer, Gareth Pursehouse, 41, was charged with murder and first-degree residential burglary with the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait. The charges make him eligible for the death penalty.[12]
CBS '48 Hours' Featured Presentation: The Life and Death of Amie Harwick
The death of Hollywood therapist Amie Harwick has sparked conversations about domestic violence and stalking and the case is raising questions about the effectiveness of laws intended to protect victims of stalking from violence. Most often, those victims are women.[13] Although Harwick ended her relationship with Pursehouse 10 years earlier. After a chance encounter with him at the XBIZ Awards Show, she said to a friend "If I ever disappear or if anything happens to me... you know it's him."[Pursehouse][14]
Call to Action
A petition was created called "Justice 4 Amie" and presented to California State legislators. State Senator Susan Rubio responded by saying: "My condolences to the friends and family of Amie Harwick. As a #domesticviolence survivor, I understand the challenges victims feel -- our laws are designed to protect the abusers more than the victims." She concluded with the words: "Let's not forget Amie and the countless others who are victims of domestic violence. "I will continue to push for victims' rights. Let's do this together." Senator Rubio followed up on her promise by introducing Senate Bill 1141, which will expand legal protections for survivors of domestic violence by criminalizing threats, humiliation, intimidation, and other coercive actions that are used to frighten and control a victim.[15] A friend of Harwick's, Jasmin St. Claire, stated: “There should be an Amie’s Law to protect women. It is a tragedy Amie went to the police a few weeks ago... The LAPD failed her. It is just devastating.”[16]
Model, Actress, Producer, Performer, and Writer
Prior to and during Harwick's Psychology practice, she was active as a Model, Performer, Actress, Producer, and Writer.[17][18]
Filmography
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Noirland | 2016 | Dr. Anoushka Berman (as Amie Nicole) |
| Blabberbox (TV Series) | 2019 | Mechanic's Girlfriend (as Amie Nicole) |
| The Devil's Muse | 2007 | Jeanette Bauer (as Amie Nicole) |
| Fit to Rock: Volume One (Video) | 2010 | (producer - as Amie Nicole) |
| Holly Randall Unfiltered (TV Series) | 2018 | - Amie Harwick: The Sex Therapist ... Self |
| True Life (TV Series documentary) | 2017 | I'm Breaking Beauty Norms ... Self |
| Addicted to Sexting (Documentary) | 2015 | Self |
| Fit to Rock: Volume One (Video)) | 2010 | Self (as Amie Nicole) |
| The Gong Show with Dave Attell (TV Series) | 2008 | Episode #1.1 ... Self - Gong Girl (as Amie Nicole) |
| Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) | 2020 | Episode #39.144 (2020) ... Self |
References
- ^ https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/28/opinions/amie-harwick-orders-of-protection-drexler/index.html
- ^ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amie-harwick-cause-death-released-1279760
- ^ https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/amie-harwick-murder/
- ^ https://q13fox.com/2020/02/18/drew-carey-mourns-death-of-ex-fiancee-amie-harwick/
- ^ https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/amie-harwick-gareth-pursehouse-hollywood-sex-therapist-death-957882/
- ^ https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/amie-harwick-gareth-pursehouse-hollywood-sex-therapist-death-957882/
- ^ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-new-sex-bible-for-women-amie-harwick/1118883113
- ^ https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/drew-carey-engaged-dr-amie-harwick-article-1.3791359
- ^ https://affairpost.com/drew-careys-fiance-dr-amie-nicole-harwicks-wiki-age-net-worth-engagement-wedding/
- ^ https://www.thecut.com/2020/02/what-happened-to-drew-careys-ex-fiance-amie-harwick.html
- ^ https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/ex-boyfriend-arrested-in-death-of-celebrity-sex-therapist-amie-harwick-lapd-says-78907973758
- ^ https://deadline.com/2020/04/amie-harwick-death-penality-ex-boyfriend-la-da-murder-charge-gareth-pursehouse-drew-carey-1202863991/
- ^ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amie-harwick-death-hollywood-therapist-texting-with-friend-before-police-allege-she-was-killed-by-ex-boyfriend/
- ^ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amie-harwick-death-hollywood-therapist-texting-with-friend-before-police-allege-she-was-killed-by-ex-boyfriend/
- ^ http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB1141
- ^ https://pagesix.com/2020/02/18/amie-harwicks-alleged-killer-stalked-her-at-porn-awards-weeks-ago
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1943215/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm
- ^ https://www.thedailybeast.com/ex-boyfriend-threatened-amie-harwick-years-before-her-murder