Hello there.
I’m Amy. I believe suffering, struggle, and difficult times can be catalysts for profound transformation. My own journey of healing came when I began to explore the unaddressed trauma in my own story in the midst of a long and difficult season.
As a trauma-trained therapist, I approach each client with a basic assumption that what has brought them to therapy has been caused in part by some form of unprocessed trauma. At a most basic level, trauma interrupts our capacity to love and be loved.
“Trauma-informed” is the idea that unwanted behavior and thinking, difficulty in relationships, anxiety, addiction, etc. are often a result of interruptions in a person’s sense of safety in the world, a sense of self as a creative agent in life and in their community, and/or shame scripts set in motion by trauma (i.e. abuse, grief, loss, betrayal, accidents, death). Trauma often leads to distorted beliefs about self and world. Much of the work of healing involves identifying and deconstructing these distortions, peeling back the layers of commitment and loyalty to the distortions, and making sense of what happened to you, in an effort to reconstruct a truer sense of yourself, your story, and your agency in the world. As your therapist, my role is to come alongside you as a trusted witness and companion on your journey of bringing clarity out of confusion, chaos, and pain. Together we’ll work toward building a greater capacity for life-giving relationships so that you have more freedom to engage life authentically.
IN MY FREE TIME
Everything is connected to everything. The older I get, the more I see the overlap and intersection of my story, my passions, my work, and the people, places, and spaces I am sent to. I’m a maker, a cultivator, a disrupter, a developer, a nurturer.
I gravitate toward practices of welcome and hospitality, connection and community, silence and formation, play and creativity, pioneering and building, and learning more and more to receive the presence, rest, and love of Jesus.
As a native of Washington, I’m passionate about facilitating spaces of healing and help for all; to that end I serve as the Managing Director of Reach Counseling Center, a nonprofit, affordable church-based counseling center.
CREDENTIALS
LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor), LH61508683
Masters of Counseling Psychology, Concentration in Trauma & Abuse, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology
Certificate in Narrative Focused Trauma Care, The Allender Center
Healing Complex Trauma Certificate, Janina Fisher
Bachelors of Art in English & Creative Writing, The Evergreen State College
Get in touch.
I work with individuals, couples, and groups toward creating a greater capacity for change, curiosity, connection, and life satisfaction.
Currently accepting new clients for both in-person and online sessions. Fill out the form below to schedule a session, ask a question, or get more information. I look forward to hearing from you!