my specialties
Primary areas of focus:
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Chronic illness, pain, and disability (ME/CFS, TBI, Long Covid, etc.)
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Perinatal: infertility, miscarriage, birth trauma, postpartum
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Trauma: EMDR (EMDRIA) trained
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Parenting: respectful/gentle
Additional areas of interest and experience:
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Eating disorders
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LQBTQ+
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Grief and bereavement
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Substance use disorders
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Relationships, attachment, and codependency
My name is Amy Hutton, and I work in Hamilton, Montana. I am passionate about mental health and disability rights, and I also love animals, agriculture, and the outdoors.
I graduated with a Masters degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from MSU and am a PCLC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Candidate).
After navigating two decades of my own chronic illness and disability, I’m honored to support others whose lives have not gone according to plan. I offer clients my unconditional compassion and genuine respect with their unique struggles and strengths, and I provide collaborative practice and tools to make meaningful choices in the face of loss and grief. I currently have telehealth and in-person openings for Montana residents and would love to talk to you about working together!
Illness, chronic pain, disability, and medical trauma are my primary specialties. I have a certifications in Animal-Assisted Therapy and in EMDR, and I also have experience supporting clients with grief, trauma, eating disorders, substance use disorders, LGBTQIA+ issues, depression, and anxiety. I am well-versed in the challenges of the ag industry and passionate about supporting farmers.
I'm very lucky to be a mom after lived experience with infertility, pregnancy loss, and childbirth trauma, and I am pursuing a certification in perinatal mental health while continuing to study RIE/respectful parenting methods. I am a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, sex positive, and very openhearted in supporting your choices.
my philosophy
I work primarily from a person-centered and existential approach.
Key concepts of person-centered therapy include:
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Empathic understanding: mirroring, validating, and accepting the client's experience
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Congruence: being my genuine self in the client-counselor relationship
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Unconditional positive regard: approaching all clients without judgement
Key concepts of existential therapy include :
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We all struggle with suffering, adversity, isolation, and the idea of our mortality
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We have freedom as humans, but that with freedom comes responsibility
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We can learn to make positive choices that create meaning and purpose despite our limitations and setbacks
I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can give to the world is to heal our own pain and break generational cycles.
I believe that our circumstances are not our fault, and that we sometimes have more power than we know.
I believe that our best is enough and we are intrinsically worthy of love, belonging, and joy.