Meet Dr. Amber Sepsey, LP
Hi, there! I’m so glad you are stopping by Meraki Psychological Services and would love to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am a Michigan native and serve families in both Michigan and California. My clinical specialization is working with pediatric populations including children and emerging adults with chronic illness and chronic pain, as well as supporting individuals across the lifespan to overcome depression, anxiety, neurodevelopmental differences (e.g., ADHD, autism, social pragmatic disorder, learning disabilities), and trauma. My work within multidisciplinary medical settings lends itself to my being able to offer comprehensive care coordination for the patients I work with. In addition to founding Meraki and providing clinical services, I also work with Palo Alto University (PAU) offering graduate level clinical supervision.
When it comes to patient care, I apply an integrated treatment approach that incorporates empirically based orientations including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), parent management strategies, exposure therapy, dialectical and behavior therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, biofeedback, mindfulness, and hypnosis. I believe in tailoring treatment and evaluations to fit each individual’s specific needs. In addition to my intervention work, my extensive experience in neurodevelopmental psychological evaluation has cultivated in me a deep appreciation for every individual’s unique constellation and experience in life.
Prior to earning my PhD, I spent several years as a middle school science teacher and special education provider. This has contributed to my enjoyment and comfort in working closely with school systems to support care for my younger patients. Another fun fact is that I am a certified yoga instructor (200RYT)! I love to enrich the mindfulness interventions my patients receive by incorporating yoga techniques.
Beyond my clinical work, I am passionate about promoting research that informs clinical settings. My interests surround clinical implications for mindfulness intervention as well as increased access to care through telehealth modalities. I am actively involved in research with Stanford University School of Medicine and Wayne State University School of Medicine.
Publications, Presentations, and Invited Talks
Sepsey, A. M. Acceptant and Commitment Therapy for Pediatric Pain. Stanford Children's Hospital Pediatric Integrated Medicine Seminar, Palo Alto, CA, June 2022.
Sepsey, A. M., Goya Arce, A. B., Huestis, S. E., Parvathinathan, G., Bhandari, R. P. (March 2022) Pediatric pain evaluation accessibility: The impact of telehealth on patient access. Poster presentation at the International Symposium on Pediatric Pain annual conference, virtual convention
Sepsey, A. M., Loree, A.M., Somers, C. L., Franklin, M., & Casey, R. (May 2021). Yoga as a complimentary and alternative medicine approach for educator psychological distress and burnout: The impact of online yoga. Paper presented at the Association for Psychological Sciences annual conference, Virtual convention.
Somers, C. L., Avendt, E. E., & (2019). Parent-adolescent sexual dialogue:Does content and approach matter in adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors? (3)215-229
Somers, C. L., Day, A. G., ., Allegoet, D., Baroni, B. A., & Hong, J. S. (2019). Understanding the residential treatment center school academic environment: Perspectives from students and teachers. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/0886571X.2019.1622167
Sepsey, A. M., Parent, S. L., Somers, C. L., & Sutton, E. S. (August 2019). Personal beliefs and situational factors that contribute to perceptions of rape and impact victim support. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association annual conference, Chicago, Illinois.
Sepsey, A. M., Seivert, N. P., Casey, R. J. (May 2019) Dispositional parental mindfulness and its impact on clinically referred children. Poster presentation at the Association for Psychological Sciences annual conference, Washington, D.C.
Sepsey, A. M. Understanding individualized education and 504 plans: Making effective referrals and recommendations. Children’s Hospital of Michigan Psychiatry Resident Seminar, Detroit, MI, February 2018.
Smith, L., Sepsey, A. M. (November 2014) Standards based teaching in middle school. Presented at the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST), Dallas, TX.
Sepsey, A. M., Nesheim, M., Maouene, M. E., Maouene, J. (May 2012). Body parts correlates of early-learned verbs in children. Paper presented at the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.