Amber Sorsek (LCSW)

Amber is a graduate of USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work master’s program and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Amber graduated in 2017 and began practicing social work as an LMSW in 2018. She served families and individuals as a social work case manager in a hospital and worked in private practice as a therapist. She trained and began practicing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 2019. She continued to serve as a therapist in private practice via telehealth through the COVID 19 pandemic until filling a new position as a telehealth counselor for New Mexico Treatment Services (addiction treatment/methadone clinic). Amber moved to Japan and obtained her LCSW in 2020. As an LCSW, Amber served families, couples and children in the military community as the Family Advocacy Treatment Manager.

Amber’s approach as a therapist is trauma informed and guided by the ecological systems theory, which assesses how physical, social, political and cultural systems affect an individual. Amber is person centered and nonjudgemental while valuing the experiences of others from their point of view. She emphasizes a collaborative healing process with clients and believes this is key for the therapeutic relationship.

Some of the general interventions Amber practices are: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Problem Solving Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Narrative Therapy.

 Individual counseling: In addition to the general interventions Amber practices, she is also certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). The DBT model guides Amber’s overall approach for individual counseling. Amber works collaboratively with clients to identify and build their strengths, identify and process emotions, build acceptance, and make nondestructive choices.

 Trauma Informed counseling: Amber practices EMDR to treat trauma. She will conduct assessments and discuss the risks and benefits of EMDR with clients to make informed decisions about the right approach to trauma treatment for each individual. Amber will work with clients to decrease trauma symptoms while maintaining safety.

 Couples counseling: Amber practices the Gottman Method as an approach to couples’ therapy. The overall goals are to reduce verbal conflict, increase
intimacy, respect, and affection. This happens in therapy by building empathy and understanding within the relationship. While these are the general goals of couples’ therapy, Amber works collaboratively with the couple to identify problems and set goals.

Amber is certified in DBT through Evergreen Certifications. DBT is designed to help clients accept circumstances and making changes, manage and express strong emotions, analyze behaviors and learn healthier patterns of responding, improve relationships with others in their lives, learn new skills, and receive support.

Amber was trained in EMDR through Rivers Edge Institute, and she is currently in the process of certification. EMDR is a structured therapy that uses bilateral stimulation while the client is encouraged to focus briefly on the traumatic memory.

The Gottman Method is an approach to couples therapy that begins with thorough assessments completed by the couple to help the therapist understand the relationship within the context of the Sound Relationship House Theory. “The goals of Gottman Method Couples Therapy are to disarm conflicting verbal communication; increase intimacy, respect, and affection; remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy; and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.”