Professional Status
I am a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC) in the state of Pennsylvania. This means I have completed the educational requirements for licensure and am currently working toward full licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) under Act 76 of 2018.
Supervision
As required by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors, I receive ongoing clinical supervision from a qualified LPC. This supervision ensures the highest quality of care as I continue to grow in my professional practice.
Practice Setting
I operate a private practice, which means I provide counseling services directly to clients in my own business setting. However, because I am under supervision, I am not engaged in “independent practice” as defined by Pennsylvania law.
About Us
our Therapist
Keri Hamberg, ALPC, earned her Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Michigan and her Masters degree in School Counseling from Kent State University in 2008. As a school counselor in both public and charter schools, Keri witnessed the far-reaching impact of COVID on families and decided that something more had to be done.
During the 2022-23 school year, Keri and her therapy dog, Archie, spearheaded a school-based therapy dog program. Through their hallway encounters, individual and small group sessions, and classroom lessons, the data showed that Archie made a big impact - not just on students, but on teachers as well. In 2023, Keri completed level 1 training with the International Association for Animal-Assisted Play Therapy, where she further developed counseling techniques for promoting mental health through the animal/human bond.
In addition being a school counselor, Keri is a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor. Her mission is to support children, teens, and adults who suffer from the hopelessness that can come from adjustment disorder, depression, anxiety, ADHD, high functioning autism, OCD, and trauma. As a parent of a neurodiverse child, Keri is also passionate about supporting parents as they navigate this world with their child(ren).
Through CBT, a client-centered approach, and animal-assisted play therapy, Keri is committed to fostering a safe and trusting environment where clients feel empowered to explore their world and use effective strategies for navigating life.
our Canine Co-Therapist
Archie was born on Christmas Day, 2021, to a retired science teacher and breeder of school dogs. While there are no fully hypoallergenic dogs, Archie is a 75% poodle/25% Cavalier King Charles mix (aka F1b Cavapoo). He does not shed and even those with moderate to severe allergies often do not experience symptoms from petting him.
Archie, CGC, received training at North Pittsburgh Animal Behavior training school and passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International tests in 2023. While Archie started visiting schools as a puppy, it wasn’t until he helped pilot Hampton Township School District’s Therapy Dog program that he realized his love for sleeping on students’ laps and how much he enjoyed going from traditional therapy dog to SEL co-therapist.
During his classroom visits, Archie (and his co-counselor) learned to utilize his small size and reserved nature to teach students about verbal and non-verbal communication, respect, calming strategies, and how their behaviors impact others (including a small pup). Students found Archie’s quick mind made him fun to train, and before long students began engaging in goal-setting, positive reinforcement, and flexibility. When Archie needed more practice, students encouraged him and broke lessons into smaller steps. Soon, Archie discovered that through his individual strengths AND weaknesses, he could teach students.