Amelia -MSW Clinical Intern & Pro Bono Provider

The Obsidian Pro Bono Clinic is open and accepting new clients for no fee clinical support!

Amelia Barton (she/her) is Obsidian Care Collective’s 2024-2025 Clinical Intern. Amelia is currently completing her second year of her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) at UNC, providing no cost services both virtually and in person. Kade Collins, MSW, LCSW is Amelia’s supervisor for her advanced clinical practicum. Amelia sees children, adolescents, families and couples with a focus on navigating changing family dynamics, building healthy relationships, and those struggling to move through life’s stages with grace while experiencing the stress of a world in crisis. 

Amelia brings her calm, patient, and judgment-free demeanor to every session. She believes that we are all the experts of our own experience, and psychotherapy is a collaborative process to help you find your own wisdom to live to your true values. Through working with Amelia, you will feel empowered with coping strategies, renewed strength and a greater resilience to face life’s challenges.

Amelia supports clients experiencing issues around anxiety, depression, body-image, self-worth, parenting, relationship building, sense of identity, existential dread, and communication challenges. Amelia integrates her knowledge of childhood development, attachment theory, and elements of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and eco-therapy principles. She is always mindful of collaborating to find the best approach for each individual. 

Amelia graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Environmental Studies. She is expected to complete her MSW at UNC Chapel Hill in the Spring of 2025. Amelia also holds a Certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture from the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in partnership with UNC.

Before starting her Master’s program, Amelia worked for ten years in the field of Environmental and Outdoor Education. She has over a decade of experience teaching kids in nature, in a variety of settings like non-profit garden schools, educational farms, public schools, or nature preserves. She is a firm believer in the healing power of nature, and that this can be woven into a clinical setting alongside other therapeutic modalities. Last year, she employed her knowledge of Therapeutic Horticulture with elementary school students to help develop emotional regulation techniques, social skills, self-esteem, anger management, and self-confidence. She is excited to bring these tools into the therapeutic space. 

Outside of her MSW journey, Amelia enjoys swimming, hiking, tending her plants, seeing friends, listening to live music, and snuggling with her calico cat, Delilah. 

Pro Bono Clinical Services with Amelia:

• All services are considered pro bono, which means they are free of cost.

• Service hours are Wednesdays through Fridays, 9-5

• Clients will receive clinical care from Amelia weekly, bi-weekly, or otherwise scheduled from September 2024-April 2025. Sessions may occur onsite in Hillsborough or virtually through a HIPAA secure platform to anyone in North Carolina.

• Amelia attends weekly individual clinical supervision with Kade, peer supervision with the team at Obsidian, and is actively receiving clinical instruction on the provision of clinical social work and psychotherapy during her final year of their Masters eduction at UNC Chapel Hill.

• Prospective clients may complete the “Request an Appointment” form and Amelia will schedule a consultation. During the consultation, Amelia and the prospective clients will discuss care needs, history of engagement in care, and goodness of fit.

• In the event that a prospective client is in need of a different provider or services not offered by the Obsidian Pro Bono Clinic, Amelia will work with inquiring folks to find other community based resources that may be available to them.

Winter 2024: Amelia is actively accepting new clients and is also working the short waitlist of folks who have already reached out. Please complete the Request an Appointment form and Amelia will be in touch during her business hours Wednesdays-Fridays to schedule a consultation with you! We are glad you are here.