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I’m a dedicated and compassionate woman and use my personal life experiences to help individuals obtain a greater sense of self-control and resilience. I suffered from severe depression and chronic pain for many years and became all the wiser through overcoming this life struggle. My story was featured in the Geography of Resilience as well as part of Simcoe County’s Have Hope campaign.
My coaching sessions are a combination of my extensive education in child and youth services, mindfulness training, and restorative justice dialogues. I am currently focusing on community-based projects that examine how restorative programs can support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.
I founded Move-It for Young Minds to help Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre raise money for their child and youth mental health unit and I co-founded YEP (Youth Empowerment Program), a specialized youth mindfulness course. I also spent two years on the development committee for Waypoint Center for Mental Health Care.
In 2018, I was awarded the Ontario Ministry of Children Community and Social Services Leading Women Award, as well as, the recipient of Georgian College’s Distinguished Alumni Award, 2019.
My life is my work and I even collaborate with my spouse Gord Stevens in support of bringing mental health and mindfulness tools to folks working in aviation. You can learn more about our work at www.gordandamber.com.
With all this said, I always make space to chill out with our grown children and grandbabies 🙂 I also love spending time on the water (paddling, foiling, sailing) and in the bush (skiing, walking, biking).
My personal and professional goal is to support as many families as possible to become more resilient and empowered. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, an estimated 1.2 million Canadian children and youth are affected by mental illness, but less than 20 per cent will receive appropriate treatment. I think this is a staggering statistic and I created this e-book series to help families access tools and get support sooner than later. My passion for this field was born out of living through my own turbulent life experiences.
My parents raised four kids (each of us only two years apart), and we faced many hardships that rocked our foundation. I was a volatile teenager, and my family found it almost impossible to get help when we needed it the most. As a result of high stress levels and low coping mechanisms, I made serious attempts to end my life and it’s a miracle I survived.
During this incredible time, I had a revelation. I decided that if I could help inspire just one family by sharing the wisdom I learned from my own struggles, then it would be worth it. From that point on, I dedicated my life to building a career around doing just that, helping one family at a time.
I live for, and love, what I do… and I am honoured that you’re giving me the opportunity to have a positive impact on your family’s life journey.
