Glassboro, NJ - Amber Windsor is a counselor who works with youth in crises and helps them realize what they are going through is not bad or wrong, but simply a diagnosis, and that they can still be good people with successful futures. One reason she relates so well is that she has been in their shoes.

“When I was growing up, I knew I was different but didn’t really know how or why. I was admitted to a Psychiatric Unit where I gained clarity. I learned what to work on, and how to help myself, and it gave me a powerful desire to someday help others who felt that same way.”

Despite battles with ADHD and bipolar disorder, Amber is today a smashing success and the holder of a Doctoral Degree. Her Master’s and PhD (2023) are both from Capella University School of Counseling. She is a nationally certified Counselor who belongs to several honor societies and was named a distinguished leader in her field for her accomplishments. During her education she was also on The President’s List for high achievement.

Amber says that many families don’t recognize what they are dealing with and mislabel a child as lazy, or attention seeking. Not getting out of bed for days is a sign of depression not idleness, and self-harming behaviors like cutting or a suicide attempt also have a different root cause. The issue is amplified by parents whose knowledge base or culture does not recognize mental illness. She is part of helping families understand what is normal and what is problematic and knowing how to react when their child is reaching out.

Amber deals with a wide variety of patient diagnoses and is responsible for counseling, crisis response, patient interventions and more. For the past few years, she has worked at Inspira Health Network, a specialized mental health system that is headquartered in Vineland NJ with several locations around the State. She is also an active member of the American Psychological Association and National School Counselor Association. Amber feels an incessant drive to prove herself and also to support young people and help them realize a disability should never hold one back.

Amber is not a medical doctor, but she delivers some of the most crucial parts of mental and behavioral health treatment. She offers teens talk therapy in a safe space and leads group experiences, such as the balloon full of air, which helps them to better cope with their reality. She helps dispense medicine and knows that medicine alone will not create the kind of progress needed. She likens it to weight loss: you might take a shot or pill that helps, but you also need to shift your mindset and give up unhealthy habits if you want lasting change.

Amber believes that her personal experience and triumphs, along with the ability to notice behaviors and identify triggers, separates her from others in the psych field. Her warmth, empathy, and close connections help to make a difference in desperate young lives.

Amber feels one needs both instinct and expertise to win in her arena. She mentions borderline personality disorder as an example of understanding if a teen is merely manipulative or has a solid disability. This is when her credentials and personal knowledge both come into play

“Anyone can read a manual and think they know what to do. But it takes instinct to really know what will happen. I have often followed my gut.”

Amber is appearing on the radio show as part of a series on Empowering Women. Her work in mental and behavioral health and strong ability to drive positive change are empowering the lives of children, parents and other clinical workers alike. Learn more about this skilled Child Life professional and all she has accomplished when you hear the podcast.

For more information about Amber Windsor and her work, visit http://www.amberwindsorphd.com