Amber Haley-Grant, MA, LPCC, PACC

For the past five years, I was the director of Intensive Treatment in Foster Care services, and am now continuing my passion for working with children and families in foster and adoptive situations as the Clinical Services Manager of Adoption and Foster Care at Fraser. I am trained in EMDR, TF-CBT and am PACC certified.

I earned my Master’s in Clinical Psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2007. My first job out of graduate school was in a residential treatment setting. I fell in love with the beautiful and resilient girls I was lucky enough to work with and they changed my outlook on life as much as I can hope that I changed theirs. I went on to work in other capacities during my 10-years in Chicago, in another residential facility with adolescent boys in which I encountered many adoptees and for the Department of Child and Family Services doing integrated assessment towards reunification for families that were separated due to abuse and neglect in the home. In this role I was able to see the other side of things, from the adults who are supposed to have it all together and yet still were unable to provide safety, security, and stability for their children. I have always had a passion for working with youth who have experienced trauma in their lives.

I have many important people in my own life who were a part of the foster care system including my own two younger half-brothers, my best friend since high school and my husband. The belief that the ultimate human goal is to find connection and purpose in our own lives and adoptees have an extra challenge to face in this human task as they discover who they are meant to be and capable of being despite the adversities they have faced. I am always inspired and amazed at the many strengths that our youth have to offer.

One of my favorite quotes, from the movie Mulan is, “the flower that blooms in adversity is most rare and beautiful of them all”.