Meet Amber Van Fossen, MS, LPC (she/her)
Licensed Professional Counselor | Child, Teen, Individual & Couples Therapy in Madison, WI
When You’ve Tried Everything
“I’m feeling at a loss and losing hope.”
“Nothing seems to work, and I don’t know what else to do”
“I just want a safe place to talk to someone without bias or judgment for myself or my child.”
If any of these statements sound familiar, you’re not alone. Many of the people I work with have tried everything they can think of and have reached a point where they need more support. I don’t take this lightly. Reaching out takes courage.
You may be blaming yourself for things you couldn’t control, or for not knowing how to handle something you’d never faced before. Whatever the “ick” is that you’re going through or have survived, we’ll start where you are and work from there.
Hope, Humor, and a Whole Lot of Heart
People have told me how beneficial, impactful, and meaningful my work with them has been, and I am constantly amazed by people’s capacity to grow and change. I absolutely love my work. A favorite quote of mine from Maya Angelou captures what I aim to bring to every session:
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
From our first session, I’ll work to put you at ease. I bring curiosity, honesty, and a strengths-based perspective to our conversations, without judgment. I may not have lived what you’ve lived, but I can walk alongside you, help you make sense of what you’re carrying, and offer a fresh perspective to explore together.
Therapy doesn’t have to feel scary or intense. My hope is that you leave feeling confident in my experience and, more importantly, in your own abilities.
How I Help Kids, Teens, Adults & Couples
I started my career working with at-risk youth in 2002 and later did extensive work with individuals and families. Over more than 20 years, I’ve supported people of all ages, backgrounds, and family structures.
- Kids and teens: A safe place to explore big feelings through engaging activities and play-based support, while building communication, coping, and emotional regulation skills. Kids often process best when they can move, play, or create.
- Adults: Help with anxiety, everyday life stress, past or current experiences, boundaries, and communication, so you can gain new insights and approach situations and relationships with more confidence.
- Couples: Gottman-informed support to reduce conflict and misunderstandings and build communication, compassion, and connection. We’ll practice listening with curiosity, taking things less personally, and checking assumptions so you both feel more seen and heard.
- Parents: Support with parenting stress, plus a family systems lens that considers how everyone in the household affects one another. We’ll explore roles, rules, and expectations, and how each person can contribute to a healthier family dynamic.
Whether you’re reaching out for yourself, a child, or your relationship, I’ll take the time to learn what’s going on in your life and tailor our work together to fit your needs.
When Progress Takes You by Surprise
One of my favorite signs of progress is when you tell me about a situation that once would have thrown you off, then realize you handled it with skills we’ve practiced, without giving it much thought.
Those new ways of responding are starting to feel natural. Clients also tell me they feel lighter and more confident, find it easier to speak up for themselves, and notice more connection and less tension in their relationships.
Why I Do This Work
I love this work because it matters. Helping people feel understood, seen, and heard, and witnessing the difference that makes in their lives, is what keeps me going every day.
I believe people are doing their best with what they know and what they’ve experienced. Sometimes, a fresh perspective helps us understand ourselves or someone else more clearly. You don’t have to have everything figured out to ask for support. You can be vulnerable, uncertain, and brave all at once. You deserve compassion through it all.
I was raised to help when I could and to remember that people, and how we make them feel, matter. That still guides my work today. My hope is that you leave feeling empowered, connected, and hopeful.
Amber’s Education, License & Training
Education
- M.S. in Community Services, Winona State University
- B.S. in Sociology and Interpersonal Communication, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
License
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Wisconsin #4878-125
Selected Trainings and Certifications
- Nationally certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Gottman Level 1 Clinical Training for Couples
- Motivational Interviewing
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Somatic Experiential Play Therapy training
- Neurodiversity and the Nervous System: A Bottom-Up Approach to Working with Autism, ADHD, OCD, and PTSD
- Family Cohesion and Parent Resiliency Training
- Crisis Prevention Intervention
- DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Training
- Continued training on child therapy topics, couples therapy, and trauma-informed approaches
