Mindfulness

Meet Amber Law Collaborator, Joanne King M.A.

As a counselor, certified Hatha yoga teacher (RY.T-200), certified mindfulness coach, and meditation teacher, I strive to help others unearth their inherent wisdom, come home to their intrinsic wholeness, and usher in a life of health, happiness, and fulfillment.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Hawaii, Hilo. There, I developed my passion for Humanistic Psychology—a perspective that focuses not on dysfunction but on maximizing well-being through self-actualization. I’m a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and on the staff of Mindful Living Group, a wellness center, located in Kihei, Hawaii, that provides mindfulness-based psychotherapy, counseling, natural health, and education. Experienced in a range of modalities, including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness Based Eating (MB-EAT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I specialize in anxiety, body image and self-esteem, mood disorders, self-improvement and empowerment, and entrepreneurship challenges—all of which I approach with a compassionate and holistic ethos.

Counseling and Coaching Approach

My approach to counseling and coaching starts with the knowledge that seeking help may feel like a daunting prospect—but that it can also be vital to finding a more easeful and satisfying life. The process begins with meeting people where they are, and tailoring treatment and/or guidance to the client’s interests and desires. I aim to see people in the larger context, resist labels, and understand their past and perspective. I help them pinpoint their innate strengths and how they can utilize them to find wellness, and equip them with healthy coping strategies. Throughout it all, I offer empathy, equanimity, empirically-supported tools—and nurturing, nonjudgmental care.

My Background

I knew that I wanted to help others from a young age, but how that has manifested has changed over the decades. Following a career in dentistry and real estate, I arrived at a point in my life when I realized I needed to help myself as well—and that I had to cultivate the strength within to find my own happiness. I took up yoga and meditation, and then became a certified instructor in both disciplines. I returned to school for an MA in Counseling Psychology, and recently completed a two-year mindfulness certification program through the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, where I worked with Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, and Dr. Rick Hanson.

Raised on the East Coast, I fell in love with Maui in 2003 and have called the island home ever since. I’m the author of Too Good to Go, Too Bad to Stay: 5 Steps to Finding Freedom From a Toxic Relationship, and one of the founders of “Mindful Recovery”—a mindfulness-based addiction recovery group that’s open to the Maui community. I’m also the creator of Ditch the Diet for Life, a simple program that shows people how to nourish themselves by paying close attention to their minds and bodies. I live in Kihei, Hawaii, with my dog, Roxy.

Contact

joannekingcounselling.com