Amelia Labrador

Hi there! My name is Amelia Labrador, and I am an Associate Therapist at Dayspring Behavioral Health. My clinical passions include exposure-based work with anxiety and panic, as well as supporting clients who have experienced trauma. I enjoy working with children, adolescents, and young adults and draw from approaches such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), exposure-based interventions, and trauma-informed care.

I earned my master’s degree in Applied Child & Adolescent Psychology from the University of Washington. In my clinical work, I enjoy helping clients better understand the patterns behind their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors while developing practical skills to navigate distress. I especially value helping clients build the confidence to gradually approach experiences that may feel difficult or overwhelming, while creating space for them to feel understood, supported, and empowered throughout the process.

Dealing with Anxiety & Panic

In the world we live in today, it can feel like there is always something to worry about. Between everyday stress, uncertainty, and the pressure to keep up, anxiety can sometimes start to take up more space in our lives than we would like. For some folks, this may look like constantly overthinking, avoiding certain situations, or feeling unsure of what they are capable of. These are common responses to very real stress, and if you are finding yourself handling this, you have come to the right place.

When working with anxiety and panic, I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and exposure-based interventions. I help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors, while identifying patterns of avoidance that may be keeping anxiety going. Together, we work toward gradually approaching situations or sensations that feel difficult, at a pace that feels manageable, while building confidence in the ability to experience discomfort without letting anxiety dictate what is possible.

Working through Trauma

Traumatic experiences can impact the way we understand ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us. Following difficult experiences, reminders of what happened can bring up strong emotions and lead us to avoid thoughts, feelings, memories, or situations connected to the experience.

I draw from Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) when working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. I focus first on helping clients understand their responses to trauma and develop skills for coping with difficult emotions. From there, we can gradually approach and process aspects of the experience that may have become difficult to think or talk about. I value moving at a pace that feels appropriate for each client while still helping them move toward the things that have become difficult to face.

More About My Modalities

As mentioned above, in my clinical work I primarily draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and exposure-based interventions.

I approach therapy with curiosity and collaboration. While learning new skills can be an important part of therapy, I also value taking the time to understand the experiences and patterns that have shaped how a client responds to the world around them. I believe that clients are the experts on their own experiences, and my role is to help them better understand those experiences while introducing new ways of responding when existing patterns are no longer working for them.

I also recognize that therapy can be uncomfortable at times, particularly when we are approaching something we have spent a long time avoiding. I aim to balance challenging clients with meeting them where they are and creating a relationship where they feel comfortable being honest about what is and is not working for them.

About Me

Outside of my work as a therapist, music is a large part of my life. I enjoy singing, playing guitar, going to shows, and finding new music. I also enjoy staying active, spending time with friends and family, and hanging out with my dog. I value creativity and humor in my own life, and these are things that naturally find their way into my work with clients as well.