Education
I received my Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Chapman University. I went on to obtain my Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from CBU.
I have been working with adolescents, TAY (transitional age youth 18-25) and adults for the past 8 years. Over the course of those years, I have worked closely with many different walks of life, but my primary specialty are individuals in the LGBTQ+ population. I have been trained in many different avenues of providing mental health. I enjoy using play and art activities with clients to encourage a different avenue of communication to families as well as individuals.
Treatment Modality/Orientation
I have had the pleasure to be trained in the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM) and Community resiliency model (CRM). These models focus on the body’s response to a trauma and through a set of 9 skills (6 wellness skills in the CRM model); assist the body in completing the response and developing pleasant sensations once again. I have enjoyed using this model over the past year with symptoms including trauma, depression, anxiety, impulsive behaviors, aggression, and anger. I also have a background in cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and use an eclectic incorporation of many different theories to best fit the client.
My primary area of specialization is with anxiety (social anxiety, school anxiety, etc) and trauma (PTSD, stress disorders etc).
Safe space
The office is a space safe for everyone. Over my course of being a mental health professional I have seen the increasing need in providing mental health treatment to the LGBTQ+ population. Through different training, consultations, groups, and actively researching; I have had experience in providing services to same sex couples therapy, gender non-conforming, non-binary, questioning, gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, asexual, and transgender (FTM and MTF) individuals of all ages.
Gamer-Therapist
One of my favorite parts of my job is incorporating video games. There is another tab on this website that discusses the importance of games and helping not only client feel comfortable in the space, but also to help with many other mental health issues. As discussed in the Trauma Resiliency Model, gaming is a wonderful resource to utilize to keep us anchored in the present moment and lean on when working through difficult parts of our lives.
Check out this video on YouTube for a Q and A with me!
Amber Legault LMFT 