Amy Dugas, MA

Amy joined our team in January 2024 after graduating with a Master of Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University. She came to counselling after a varied career in banking, education, tourism, and science, and after navigating a series of challenging personal life events. From her previous career Amy holds a Bachelor of Science Geophysics, and a Doctorate in Geophysics from University College Dublin. 

 Following her drive to help others, Amy has worked as a support aide for those living with chronic mental illness and a college instructor for people dealing with long-term unemployment.  During her masters internship Amy worked with clients with complex, treatment-resistant mental health concerns. Amy chose to pursue counselling with a specific clinical interest in helping adults manage the long term impact of childhood trauma. She is a Certified Complex Trauma Professional (level 2, Evergreen Certification) and has completed her EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Technician training. Amy recognizes that childhood struggles can have long-lasting effects and profoundly shape our lives. Alongside trauma work, Amy is interested in family relationships, disordered eating, communication skills, emotional regulation, loss, life transitions, pursuing meaning, and self-actualization.

Amy uses a collaborative down-to-earth approach to counselling, working with client’s unique strengths, resources, goals, and wisdom. Amy often works with experiential, in-the-moment therapies, where clients may feel change during a counselling session. She will also set goals and challenges for clients between sessions, to help maximize positive change. We are grateful to have Amy as a part of the team at UIC.