Amy Slutzky, LCPC
Clinical Educational Advocate Consultant & Speaker
Amy is a powerhouse at the crossroads of education, advocacy, and clinical counseling.
With her diverse background as a special education policy expert, former teacher, licensed counselor, and parent of a child with special needs, Amy has a 360-degree view of the challenges families and educators face. She’s seen it all—both in the classroom and at home—and is often the missing link in the equation of solving the biggest concerns of parents and educators.
Amy's mission is simple: to help bridge the gap between home and school. By bringing both educational and clinical perspectives into the mix, she ensures every child’s learning plan is as individualized and integrated as they are. Whether she’s advocating for families or supporting schools, Amy’s approach is all about finding what works—and making it work better—for everyone involved.
EXPERIENCE
Educational Advocate, 2009 - present
Licensed Professional Counselor, 2008 - present
National Board Certified Counselor, 2008 - present
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, 2021 - present
Classroom Teacher, 2000 - 2015
Volunteer, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of Lake County, 2007 - 2017
EDUCATION
Northwestern University, School of Education & Social Policy, 1998
Argosy University/Illinois School of Professional Psychology, 2008
A Mother’s Journey:
Navigating Autism with Jacob
I didn’t need to compare Jacob to his peers to know he wasn’t your average two-year-old. Sure, the autism diagnosis didn’t surprise me, but the never-ending parade of “experts” who got him completely wrong? Now that was overwhelming. The one thing I knew for sure: parents are always the real experts when it comes to their kids. So who gets Jacob right? Well, that’d be the dynamic duo of Mommy and Jacob, of course!
Jacob has always had his own creative way of navigating the world, but it took me a little time to decode his sensory quirks and unique behaviors. One of our biggest aha moments came when his preschool labeled his singing during nap time as "problematic." What they didn’t understand was that Jacob wasn’t just making noise—he was scripting his thoughts and feelings through song. While they heard noise, I heard my son’s inner world.
Today, Jacob has combined his love of space, obsession with trains, and genetic sense of duty and service into his massive LEGO City. We see signs of civil engineering and genius as he can rebuild and reorient his LEGOs without the instructions. He also has taken over the radio in the car, which is a typical growth from his dance party days as a toddler in the kitchen. He has also redirected his eyes from exploring the world above to the worlds below with his love of all sea creatures. His favorite? The shark!
I’m the expert on Jacob. He’s nearing teenagehood, and yes, he’s autistic. When things get hard for Jacob, or when he feels overwhelmed, he goes into his own world of Sesame Street and Lightning McQueen, which is okay by us.
Being Jacob’s mom means embracing both his challenges and his brilliance, while fighting fiercely to make sure the world sees him just as I do—because no one knows a child better than their parent(s).
