Amanda Kern is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Advanced Chemical and Alcohol Dependency Counselor. She has been in the field of social work for 18 years and has served in multiple capacities throughout her career. She received her Bachelor of Social Work from Lewis-Clark State College and graduated with her Master of Social Work from Eastern Washington University. Amanda is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Social Work at the University of Kentucky.
As a certified Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) provider Amanda specializes in trauma and addiction at her private practice. In 2016 Amanda became a certified Sex Therapist after identifying a connection relating to correlation between addiction, trauma, sexology, and an aperture in treatment that included this component.
Amanda started her social work career as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist and child forensic interview specialist. She has worked on multidisciplinary teams and held the roles of a designated examiner, medical social worker, county jail suicide risk assessor, and mental health court provider. In addition, she has been the Clinical Director of a Mental Health and Substance Treatment Facility serving over 300 clients in three rural offices.
Additionally, Amanda has also taught as an adjunct professor for bachelor and master-level social work courses. She has engaged as a field placement supervisor and clinical superior to master-level students throughout their internships and after graduation.
Amanda is the CEO and founder of Integrated Balance Psychotherapy, LLC, which she opened in 2013. She has focused her clinical practice on specializing in trauma therapy and addiction treatment.
Amanda’s interest in research is in treating post-traumatic stress disorder in women; she recently held two international women’s wellness retreats, and her capstone is on the development of an adjunct therapy to traditional psychotherapy called the Retreat Model.