With nearly 20 years of school-based experience as first an educator and currently a school counsellor, Amanda is passionate about working with young people the education system marginalises. Her first counselling experiences were with rangatahi (youth) who were excluded from mainstream education, and this was the catalyst for her master's research about the Aotearoa New Zealand education system and the possibilities of using a trauma-informed approach to address school disengagement. She has worked in the United States, New Zealand, and Japan, teaching and now counselling ages five through 18. She has three children, one of whom struggles with school. Amanda enjoys walks in nature and good coffee with dear friends.