Michelle Amber

You’re doing everything you can to help your child—and still, it feels like you’re falling short.

Maybe your child was recently diagnosed with a chronic illness or neurodevelopmental disorder, and suddenly the world feels upside down. Or maybe things have been building for a while: their energy is low, their grades are slipping, they’re pulling away from friends—and you’re left wondering what happened to the playful and engaged child you know. 

You’ve seen specialist after specialist, done all the research, followed every recommendation, and still feel terrified by the uncertainty of the future. You're not alone in that.

I work with kids, teens, and families navigating the stress that comes with health challenges, trauma, and neurodivergence, all while growing up in the midst of it all. Growing up with a childhood autoimmune disorder myself, I understand firsthand the struggles your child is facing - and how those struggles impact your family as a whole.

You want tools, you want clarity, and you want your child to feel more like themselves again. That’s where I come in.

My Background & Approach

In our work together, my main priority is helping your child feel safe, seen, and heard. We’ll explore how their mind and body are connected, and help them learn how to care for themselves in ways that feel empowering yet realistic. Kids typically don’t have much say in their lives and adding an illness or disorder on top of that can create an even greater sense of helplessness. That’s why my goal is always to give them back some sense of control such as giving choice in how we spend our sessions, learning about their interests, developing an authentic connection to self, or teaching boundaries and empowered communication.

For parents, I’ll walk with you every step of the way—arming you with knowledge and practical tools, offering insight into your child’s experience, and helping you build the kind of connection and support your child needs. We’ll talk about how physical health affects mental health, and discuss how you can best show up for your child when they’re struggling in either capacity. Family participation is an integral part of this work, as fostering a supportive environment and working through issues affecting the family are vital to your child’s healing.

I’ve worked in treatment centers, school-based settings, and private practice, and I’ve also lived with an autoimmune condition myself. I know how exhausting it is to fight for answers and support. I want to understand your life holistically and use my knowledge of psychoneuroimmunology and somatic therapy to arm you with tools to better understand how healing your mental health can also heal your physical health. Our biology has the innate wisdom to heal itself. My ultimate goal is to help restore the mind-body connection to heal you as a whole.

I earned my BA in Psychology from the University of Southern California, with a minor in Occupational Science, and my MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. My work is informed by my training in ABA, DBT, and somatic-based approaches such as EMDR and Brainspotting — and by the kids and families I’ve been lucky enough to support so far. I’m here to empower you and your child to find your way forward, together.