Hello and welcome.  My name is Amber and I'm so glad you are here.  On this page I will share with you my educational background, experience in the field of social services, life experiences, and some of my interests and hobbies.  

My practical journey into the helping profession started right after high school, but really my childhood primed me for a life in the helping profession.  Having survived a difficult, highly stressful, and high ACE's childhood, I was destined to land in the field of social work.  After a rough go of high school I attended a local junior college to work on my undergraduate general education coursework and where, for the first time, I thrived academically.  During this time I worked fulltime to save money for a move to Sacramento and pursue my undergraduate degree in psychology.  I attended California State University, Sacramento for both my BA in psychology and MA in social work, graduating with academic honors in 2003, and began my journey to become a LCSW.   

My background in the field of social services is quite diverse.  Over the years I've worked in foster care & trauma, victim witness, medical social work, group homes, in-home behavioral support (ABA), transitional housing, psychiatric hospitals, and in a school district as an Educationally Related Mental Health Clinician (ERMHS).  I am also a mother of two which is the most intense job experience I've ever had!  A very impactful life experience I can share with you was being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and at 26 years old (in 2003).  To say this was life changing would be an understatement.  Due to living with a chronic inflammatory disease and often chronic pain, I am highly empathetic to those who live with and manage disease and pain and all the other secondary issues that come from this.  I'm happy to report that I'm in remission and live my life fully with zest and gratitude.  

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I'm on a journey just like you! I've spent years rewiring my brain!  As the saying goes...I practice exactly what I teach.  As a child my brain was wired for stress response and chronic fight or flight. Additionally, as a young person I learned very few coping skills, communication skills, and emotional regulation skills.  But I'm living proof the brain can change, behavior can change, and one can create a life worth living.  I've immersed myself in the research of neuroplasticity, behavior change, and mood regulation and I'm passionate to share my knowledge and experience with my clients.  Three of my most researched and studied areas of mental health are trauma, anxiety/depression, and ADHD. 

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What you should know about me if we work together:  I'm lighthearted and easy to talk with.  We will laugh together...I can assure you that.  I try and remove the stigma and stress about seeking mental health treatment by taking a collaborative and egalitarian approach with my clients.  I strive to be approachable, but my number one priority is to set and keep ethical and safe boundaries.  I am passionate about educating my clients about their mental health and I dedicate a portion of each session to sharing updated research, providing my clients with practical skills and knowledge about how their brains work, how behavior works, and the brain-body connection. My personality and approach has proven to be especially successful in working with teenagers and young adults and I've worked with this demographic since 2008.  

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