Amelia Ortega, LCSW, TCYM, SIFI
Amanecer Counseling Services is a feminist psychotherapy practice led by Amelia Ortega providing focused psychotherapy and community wellness programs to individuals and families impacted by systemic oppression and trauma.
Meet Amelia
pronouns: they/them
LCSW, TCYM, SIFI
Amelia specializes in trauma centered, somatic psychotherapy, online pedagogy and system change work. They currently work as a somatic psychotherapist, organizational consultant and professor of Social Work practice at the Columbia University School of Social Work.
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Amelia has worked for the last 13 years dedicated to supporting queer and trans young adults and families. Amelia has directed School Social Work counseling and arts programming in public high schools, residential support services for young people aging out of Foster Care and has developed school based interventions to support and organize queer students.
Amelia’s clinical practice engages trauma healing through use of somatic experiencing, and EMDR through a lens of feminist psychotherapy. Their work centers gender and race based traumas and healing, and celebrates the resilient lives of QTPOC community members.
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Meet Josh Espinoza
pronouns: he/him/his
Josh utilizes trauma centered, person centered psychotherapy while utilizing a relational therapeutic style.
He promotes healing and liberation work by providing a queer affirming, trans-affirming, racially responsive space for exploring how marginalized folks navigate the world.
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Josh’s experience involves working in school settings, community health organizations, and social service agencies. He has experience working with adolescents, young adults transitioning into adulthood, and folks who identify with the LGBTQ+ and QTPOC communities.
"If you have considered therapeutic support, you have taken one of the biggest steps in pursuing your liberation goals. My goal is to join you on your journey by establishing and maintaining a safe, reassuring, and genuine therapeutic relationship"
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Contact Josh:
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Services
Tele-Health / Virtual Consultations
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Due to Covid-19 restrictions all sessions are currently
being held through use of video conferencing
and phone based.
Individuals
Specialization Areas:
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PTSD
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Loss and Grieving
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Difficulty with life transitions
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LGBTQ identity
( coming out, dating, and Intimate Partner Violence)
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Social Work students seeking support and/or supervision
Relationship / Family
Sessions are available for couples & individuals identified as being in relationship with one another. Family sessions strongly encouraged for those with children.
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Amelia specializes in work with pre-teens and adolescents, specifically regarding substance abuse, sexuality, gender and identity development.
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Couples, life partners, platonic life partners , chosen family and non-monogamous relationships welcome in this practice.
Insurance & Payment
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Deciding to invest in your wellness and mental health is a huge victory, and talking about fees can feel overwhelming and scary. Amelia strives to make therapy available to all who are seeking services. If you have an insurance provider, it is best to contact them to determine if you have out of network coverage. Amelia can assist you in learning more about the Affordable Care Marketplace and Medicaid, and additionally offers sliding scale fees for service as well as therapy scholarships.
If you have insurance....
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** Please call your insurance carrier to determine if they provide out of network
reimbursement for Behavioral Health Services.
Therapy Scholarships
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There are 5 slots for therapy scholarship available to the community.
When all slots are filled, you may wish to be added to a waiting list.
Sliding Scale Fees
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Individual Session Fee is $125
Amelia offers a sliding scale based on need and is flexible and open to discussing how to ensure that cost is not prohibitive for care.
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Couples/Relationship Session Fee
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$175
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LMSW/ SIFI Supervision
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$65 per hour - negotiable based on need
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Group Supervision
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$50 per hour
Testimonials
"I've worked with Amanecer Counseling for several years, and they've been an essential support in my journey to manage my anxiety and depression. Amanecer applies a gender lens, a trauma-informed approach, and an acute understanding of socioeconomic and racial dynamics to therapy; that is, rather than looking for textbook diagnoses that align with conventional medical models, Amanecer centers the client's therapeutic work in how a client's intersectional identities play out in their life and contribute to ongoing trauma."
"Amanecer helps me uncover deeply rooted patterns and behaviors, enabling me to reflect and apply strategies that help me make progress in my healing process. Amanecer approaches therapy from a place of curiosity that feels supportive, rather than judgmental, so I can arrive at my own realizations in my own time."
Resources
