Amber Williams is a motivational speaker, community advocate, and founder of the nonprofit organization, Saving a Life, which focuses on preventing suicide and inspiring everyone to live another day. She is an author of several e-books (Surviving Mental Illness: 4 Lessons That Changed My Life; The Self-Love Journal: 30 Days to Experience Your Greatest Self-Love; I AM: A Book of Affirmations; and Unapologetic Success: 5 Tips to Living Your Dreams). Her research interests include suicidal ideation, trauma, grief/loss, and resilience. As a survivor of mental illness and homelessness, Amber seeks to inspire others. She shared, “The core of my work is to help build/instill resilience in other people.”
Amber is an American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) alumna in the 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 classes of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). She has a bachelor’s in biology from Florida A&M University, and a master’s in public health from the American Public University System. She completed her masters of marriage and family therapy in 2022 from Northcentral University, where she is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in counseling psychology and completing her dissertation, which focuses on the lived experiences of minority suicide survivors.
Amber was initially drawn to the MFP because the program’s mission to support underserved communities aligned with her personal interests. She shared, “The three key factors that led me to enter the program were my desires to serve others, to be a leader, and to be a voice for fellow minorities, and I knew the program was going to give me the tools to do just that.”
Participating in the MFP provided Amber opportunities to build and nurture her professional network. She explained, “Joining the MFP afforded me the ability to connect with other individuals who have achieved similar goals that I would like to accomplish. The MFP has also provided me with great mentors who have been supportive of me throughout the program.
When reflecting on how she was able to leverage the skills and knowledge acquired in the MFP, Amber shared, “I plan to continue to integrate the knowledge and skills into my career and apply them in my work with minorities in my community and in my speaking engagements about mental health around the world. Also, the things I’ve learned through my MFP will be helpful as I continue my professional education and obtain my licensure through my Ph.D.”
The MFP mentorship was vital to Amber’s educational and career development. She stated, “I have been equipped with the funding to finish my degree. In addition, my professional career has been enhanced because of the trainings and certificate programs that have been offered through the MFP, which have allowed me to become a competitive candidate for any job.”
When asked if she had advice for anyone considering applying to the MFP, Amber said, “Be prepared to go through a life changing experience. The fellowship inspires you to be the best version of yourself and to give back more to your community. Ultimately, it teaches you that being a mental health professional is more than just an occupation, it’s your purpose.”
When reflecting on her MFP experience Amber shared, "Ever since I became immersed in the MFP community, I have been striving to set a standard each and every day I wake up. Being a part of the MFP is such an honor, and I thank you.”
Amber went on to say, “AAMFT believes in its members and strives to create sustainable leaders who will lead the field of mental health into the future.”