My name is Amber Hill, in 2003, I graduated from Old Dominion University with a Master of Science Degree in Education with a focus on School and Community Agency Counseling. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC), and a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP). I possess over 20 years of experience counseling in diverse environments with clients with varied backgrounds and presenting issues including: adolescent and adult residential treatment, in-home counseling, mental health counseling in correctional facilities, and working with adults transitioning back into the community after serving a period of incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons. My interventions are primarily cognitive behavioral therapy, identifying how client’s thoughts and feelings are manifested in behaviors resulting in both positive and negative consequences. As perception makes an event real, we can often think in a manner which is counterintuitive to our values, principles, and beliefs. By identifying alternative ways of thinking resulting in changing our feelings, we can change our responses to the outside world to change our behaviors; thus, maximize positive outcomes.

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

During our first session, the primary goal is too build a therapeutic relationship and assure I will be able to meet your needs as a therapist, I will be asking a lot of questions as part of the initial assessment. Ultimately, I want us to identify current issues and stressors, and hopefully streamline them into three areas of potential growth that you would like to work on as part of your treatment plan goals.

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

In a chaotic and ever-changing world, take a moment to stop and see all the beauty within yourself, others, and in the world around you. We become so entrenched in doing and being everything to everyone, we lose focus of ourselves, and the premise that life is not about just reaching the goal but enjoying the journey along the way. Without the proper tools to maneuver through the challenges we face, we can stagnate with just surviving and not thriving. Together we can navigate the emotional challenges of life to a journey of deeper self-awareness and understanding to be the very best you that you can be, someone who thrives regardless of the difficulties encountered.

About Amber M. Hill