PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Amy is a Massachusetts Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Board Certified Art Therapist. Her experience includes twenty years of work in mental health in private practice, educational, residential, and inpatient settings. She draws upon her experience and creative skills to provide consultation and workshops focusing on mental health and wellness. In her private practice, Amy tailors her approach to each client's individual goals with a focus on improving quality of life.

She is a skilled speaker for workshops, professional development seminars, and trainings. She is detail-oriented and highly organized, has a strong work ethic, and is easy to communicate with.

 

EDUCATION

Master of Arts Degree in Art Therapy (2002)

Albertus Magnus College,  New Haven, CT

          

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Art History (2000)

Saint Joseph College, West Hartford, CT

 

CREDENTIALS

 

Massachusetts Licensed Mental Health Counselor, license number 5972, current

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American Art Therapy Credentials Board: Registered Art Therapist-Board Certified (ATR-BC), number 07-135, current

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Private Practice: Amy Tesz, LMHC, ATR-BC                                                           2014 – Present

       Psychotherapist/Expressive Arts Therapist

• Provide counseling services to individuals, couples and families aged 15 and up as a sole practitioner in private practice setting

• Expertise in clinical assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and traumatic stress

• Skilled in multiple modalities, including art therapy, psychodynamic, CBT, ACT, self-compassion and mindfulness, humanistic, and narrative based approaches

• Independently developed, grew, and now manage the business functions of private practice

• Provide consultation and coaching to other helping professionals in private practice

 

Lexington Public Schools, Lexington, MA                                                             2013 – Present

School Social Worker

• Provide counseling services to students within a middle school setting

• Work collaboratively with the school support team through a weekly meeting and as needed for student concerns

• Communicate openly and effectively with staff, students, and families to provide students with the opportunity for successful outcomes

• Participate in developing a Response to Intervention (RTI) for behavior model for the school

• Provide feedback and support to the therapeutic learning program teacher regarding best practices and individualized interventions for students

 

Psychiatry & Family Counseling                                                                                         2011 – Present

Child, Adolescent, & Family Therapist

• Provide counseling services to children, adolescents, and their families in a private practice setting

• Successfully help to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression as indicated by client report

• Work closely with families to increase effective communication between parents and children as well as the use of positive parenting strategies

• Collaborate with outside providers (i.e. school, pediatrician, psychiatrists, behavior analysts, etc.) to give clients a comprehensive treatment approach

• Participate in monthly supervision with the practice Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

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Fitchburg Public Schools, Fitchburg, MA                                                                   2006 – 2012

Consultant, Emotional Impairment and Mental Health, 2011-2012

• Provided consultation services to teachers, guidance counselors, adjustment counselors, and school social workers focused on students identified with emotional impairment, trauma histories, and mental health concerns

• Completed Emotional Impairment assessments as part of the Special Education IEP team for specific students, reported on the results of the assessments at team meetings, and provided comprehensive written reports detailing the results of the assessment to the parents and team members

• Facilitated the development of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) by chairing periodic meetings with the staff working with identified students

• Met weekly with members of the South Street Elementary School support staff to discuss the needs of students and to develop action plans

• Provided feedback and suggestions to district administration regarding student needs, potential interventions, and program planning, specifically to the Director of Pupil Personnel, Evaluation Team Leaders, and school principals

 

Clinical Interventionist, District Grades PreK – 4, 2009 – 2011

• Implemented group counseling interventions, such as Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS), for students in the district’s Emotional Impairment program and for regular education students

• Provided crisis intervention and wrap around support to the district elementary schools

• Participated as a member of Child Study and Special Education team

• Facilitated interventions within the Response to Intervention (RTI) model

• Observed students within the classroom and school environment

• Completed risk assessment and observation reports

• Collaborated with external providers and provide referrals to community resources

• Consulted with classroom teachers and guidance staff on student cases

• Maintained a caseload of approximately 85 to 110 students

• Presented teachers with information regarding mental health and trauma through professional development and workshops

• Worked collaboratively with district administration to develop a Response to Intervention (RTI) model for behavior within the district

 

Evaluation Team Leader, 2007 - 2009

• Received referrals to special education, initiated the evaluation process, and coordinated the components/assessments of the team evaluation

• Organized, coordinated, and conducted all necessary team meetings

• Oversaw the development of educational plans in accordance with the Massachusetts state regulations

• Informed parents about the evaluation and team process as well as meeting with parents to discuss the recommendations resulting from an evaluation

• Completed all necessary paperwork within the timelines set forth in the regulations

• Coordinated meetings for schools across the district, maintaining a caseload of approximately three hundred students

• Provided case management support for students within substantially separate programs, including the Emotional Disability Program, Life Skills Program, and Language Based Learning Disability Program

 

Clinical Interventionist, Fitchburg High School, 2006 - 2007

• Provided adjustment counseling and group therapy to forty adolescents in the Emotional Impairment program, a substantially separate environment at Fitchburg High School

• Implemented de-escalation techniques, processed incidents with students, performed Mental Status Examinations (MSE), and initiated the hospital screening process when necessary

• Provided support to administration on office referrals and incidents requiring disciplinary action

• Participated as a member of the IEP team and collaborated with local and state agencies

• Facilitated the transition of students from out-of-district placements to the public school setting

• Trained staff through bi-weekly program meetings

 

Committee Participation

Bullying Plan Committee Member

• Participated in regular meetings along with district administration, local community agencies, and parents focusing on the development of the district’s bullying plan

• Assisted in writing specific sections of the district’s bullying plan

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CMCTC Grant Writing Committee Member

• Participated in grant writing meetings along with the district’s Assistant Superintendent, Grants Director, Director of Pupil Personnel, LUK, Inc.’s CEO and Project Manager focusing on applying for a NCTSN trauma services grant

• Provided LUK, Inc. with the district’s written material for the grant application

• Grant successfully awarded to LUK, Inc.

 

Trauma Services Grant Writing Committee Member

• Participated in grant writing meetings along with the district’s Assistant Superintendent, Grants Director, Director of Pupil Personnel, Director of Nursing, and UMASS Medical’s Dr. Peter Metz focusing on applying for a trauma services grant to imbed CBHI services in the district’s schools

• Provided written summaries for the grant application

 

Additional Stipend Work

Trauma Training Module Developer, McKinney Vento Grant, 2010 – 2012

• Co-authored a 10-hour training module, including trainer manual, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, training activities, and references, focusing on the impact of trauma and homelessness on the education of students

• Utilized current and evidenced based information and strategies in each training module

• Presented an overview of the training module to district staff

• Served on the organization committee for the “No Place Like Home Conference” held in November 2010 that featured Liz Murray as the Keynote Speaker

 

School Trauma Services Liaison, CMCTC Grant, 2009 – 2012

• Contributed to the writing of the grant application to the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), which awarded funding for three years to develop the Central Massachusetts Child Trauma Center (CMCTC) at LUK, Inc.

• Collaborated with CMCTC and LUK, Inc. staff to develop school based intervention strategies and implementation of trainings to school staff members

• Coordinated student referrals from schools to the CMCTC for outside evidenced based trauma interventions

• Disseminated information about the CMCTC and trauma services to school staff

• Attended quarterly implementation meetings as the FPS liaison with LUK, Inc., Community Health Link, Worcester DCF, North Central DCF, and Worcester Public Schools

• Completed the 2-day training for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) as well as the first section of the train-the-trainer program for CBITS

• Provided supervision to trained guidance counselors, adjustment counselors, social workers, and clinical interventionists leading CBITS groups

• Managed the budget for school funding for materials and stipend work from the grant

 

Liaison for ICE Grant, January – June 2007

• Acted as liaison for the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Grant between Fitchburg High School and Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, MA

• Met with 8 participating students on a weekly basis to discuss their progress in the program

• Communicated necessary information to the staff at MWCC, Fitchburg High, and outside agencies

• Facilitated 4-week Senior Project course at the end of the semester in which students completed their resumes, cover letters, and a portfolio

• Participated in training about Person Centered Planning for students

• Worked twenty hours per week outside of full time responsibilities for 6 month duration

 

The Doctor Franklin Perkins School, Lancaster, MA                                                            2003 – 2006

Clinician, Latency Age Residential Program

• Provided individual and group therapy to 9-14 latency age children in a residential setting focusing on behavioral and mental health issues

• Facilitated solution focused family therapy on site and in clients’ home settings

• Performed clinical assessments to clarify diagnosis and treatment issues

• Formulated treatment recommendations for children and their families

• Provided case management services as well as participated in agency, Department of Social Services (DSS), and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings

• Participated in weekly individual and group supervision meetings

• Completed comprehensive therapy notes, phone call and visitation logs, and initial assessment and quarterly treatment conference reports

 

The Connecticut Hospice, Branford, CT                                                                                2001 – 2003

Art Therapist, Arts Department

• Facilitated art therapy sessions for terminally ill patients on an individual and group basis at the inpatient hospital

• Focused therapeutic interventions on end-of-life issues and improvement of quality of life

• Provided psycho-education and open-ended therapeutic sessions to families

• Met with individual patients and their families as a member of the home based services interdisciplinary team

• Conducted trainings and workshops for staff and interns

• Completed 680 supervised clinical hours during internship from September 2001 to May 2002

 

Saint Francis Care Behavioral Health, Hartford, CT                                                            2001 – 2002

Creative Therapist, Inpatient Units

• Facilitated group therapy sessions for child, adolescent, and adult clients in the inpatient psychiatric units and the adult dual-diagnosis/substance abuse unit

• Participated in rounds with the unit psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, counselor, and lead nurse

• Completed 75 supervised clinical hours during internship from January to May 2001

 

EXAMS

 

National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE),                                           Pass

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)                                                                     April 2005

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Communication and Literacy Skills – Writing                                                                                    Pass

Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL)                                                               March 2007

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Communication and Literacy Skills – Reading                                                                                   Pass

Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL)                                                                March 2007

 

MEMBERSHIPS/ACHIEVEMENTS

• Advisory Board Member, Central Massachusetts Child Trauma Center, 2009 - 2013

• Clinical Service Award, The Dr. Franklin Perkins School, 2006

• Kappa Gamma Pi Award for Outstanding Achievement, St. Joseph College, 2000

• Rene Bouchard Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Psychology, St. Joseph College, 2000

• Honors Certificate, St. Joseph College, 2000

• Certificate of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Art History, St. Joseph College, 2000

• PsiChi National Honors Society, St. Joseph College, 1997 – 2000 (Chapter Co-President 1999-2000)

• Honors Program, St. Joseph College, 1996 - 2000

 

PRESENTATIONS / PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

"Helping Kids Cope: Positively Responding to Death & Grief”                                  November 2013

Presented to The Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster, Staff Professional Development

 

“Self Care”                                                                                                                       June 2013

Presented to The Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster, Staff Professional Development

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“Prevention and Intervention Strategies”                                                                                 May 2013

Presented to The Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster, Staff Professional Development

 

“Understanding Childhood Mental Health”                                                                 April 2013

Presented to The Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster, Staff Professional Development

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“Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS):                               February 2013

An Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and an Evidenced Based Treatment for Childhood Traumatic Stress”

Presented to Lynn Public Schools Student Support Services staff, Professional Development Seminar

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“Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)                                February 2013

Refresher”

Presented to Fitchburg Public Schools Guidance and Adjustment Counselors, Professional Development Seminar

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“Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)”                              February 2012

Train-the-Trainer Program: 1 of 2 days

Presented to Fitchburg Public Schools and Worcester Public Schools Guidance Counselors, Adjustment Counselors, and School Social Workers

 

“When Being Helpful Becomes Harmful”                                                                  March 2011

Presented to Leominster Public Schools Guidance Department, Professional Development Seminar

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“When Being Helpful Becomes Harmful”                                                          November 2010

Developed with and presented by Kathryn Brady at the No Place Like Home

Conference, Fitchburg, MA

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“Behavioral and Clinical Intervention: PreK – 12”                                                                   April 2010

Presented with Cynthia Brown, BCBA to the School Committee for Fitchburg Public Schools

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“Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans”

Presented to Reingold Elementary  School staff                                                                     March 2008

Presented  to  Fitchburg  High  School Emotional Disabilities Program staff                                   May 2007

 

“Mood Disorders”

Presented to Fitchburg Public Schools Emotional Disabilities Program staff                       February 2007