Hello, I am Amber, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a graduate from John F. Kennedy University where I studied Holistic Counseling Psychology, an experiential program that went beyond the traditional clinical nature of becoming a therapist, where I developed skills and enthusiasm needed to attune to the whole person and not just a list of symptoms or diagnosis. My education and training amplifies the traditional therapeutic work by also incorporating expressive arts, play, nature and somatic interventions. Prior to having my private practice, I worked for county programs with those who have moderate to severe mental health issues, community based non-profits, residential treatment centers and in schools with children whose mental health impacts their ability to learn and have quality relationships with their peers and families.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Our first session is not just about me getting to know what brings you to therapy and developing goals with an individualized plan to get you there, but also a chance for you to gauge your comfort with me as a provider. This meeting is an opportunity for you to ask questions, and learn what style of therapy may or may not feel right to you. We will explore what has led you to seeking support and identify what your most immediate needs are and plan together for what comes next. I work in collaboration with you, I may be the therapist, but you are the expert of your life and my planning is always done with your input.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

Having worked with adults and children who do not always feel at home in traditional settings, struggle to fit in with peers, family and even in close relationships, and a sense of not belonging, one of my greatest strengths is helping you feel safe, secure and present in your own mind and body before we dig deeper. When we are able to have more self-compassion, we can then work on making changes with how we see the world, the feelings we have when facing adversity or stressors and the actions we take that can move us along towards our long term goals. My personal and lived experiences, including being survivor of Trauma and part of the LGBTQ+ community, gives me a unique ability to relate to and speak from a place of experience about the the realities that these areas, and other life changing experiences, can have on us. This lived experience paired with my clinical and holistic education, I mindfully and intentionally provide interventions that are nuanced to treating Trauma and provide resources that are unique to the LGBTQ+ population.

About Amber Smith