LAURA'S SPECIALTIES
- COUPLES & MARITAL COUNSELING
Couples often seek counseling for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they're seeking to improve their communication skills and work better as partners. Other times, they're in crisis and looking for help making difficult decisions about their relationships. The goals of couples counseling are developed by each partner and success largely depends on their motivation and dedication to the process. Couples who attend counseling and work to build their relationship can expect to improve their listening skills, their teamwork, and understanding of each other as partners. Laura utilizes a variety of techniques, such as those from Imago Therapy, to help couples ensure that they're communicating in meaningful and productive ways, rather than using hurtful language and creating a tense environment.
- YOUNG ADULT ISSUES
Making the transition from your teens to adulthood is filled with a number of possibilities that can be staggering to sort through. Young adults are facing a number of unique challenges in today's culture. You may struggle with establishing yourself following the completion of your education. Or you may find yourself moving back home as a result of debt and an increasingly complex career landscape. Many young adults are taught to follow a simple path: complete your education, find employment, and eventually settle down and begin a family. However, rarely are things that simple. Laura often works with young adults on recognizing the effect of social pressures on their decision-making process, the development of their identity, and the kinds of relationships in which they engage. Young adults who find success through therapy often report a greater sense of direction in their lives, self-assurance, and confidence in their decision-making abilities.
- GRIEF & LOSS
We all experience loss in our lives and it often has a profound effect on us. Sometimes moving through the grieving process is difficult and we may find ourselves stuck and unable to let go. We may be overwhelmed with guilt and frequently struggle with self-talk such as "I should have done more" and "it's my fault this happened." Or we may be emotionally detaching ourselves to avoid any thoughts and feelings associated with the loss. While grief never truly heals, our goal is to come to terms with the loss in our lives and move forward rather than allowing it to consume us and negatively impact our relationships, our careers, and our identity. Laura approaches grief from a place of empathy so that she can understand just how you're internalizing your loss, how you're coping, and the barriers that are keeping you from resolving the feelings surrounding your loss.
- COMMUNICATION
Effective communication is important in nearly everything we do. From our jobs to our close relationships, how we communicate impacts us on a number of levels. Increasing our awareness about how we communicate will develop our ability to convey our thoughts, feelings, and needs more productively. Conversely, understanding that interpersonal problems often result from misunderstandings and miscommunication can improve our ability to pay attention to how others are communicating to us. Both couples and individuals who attend counseling often improve their communication skills just by virtue of working through the counseling process. Effective communication is a complex, multifaceted skill that takes time and practice to improve. Through counseling, Laura will provide direct feedback and guidance to ensure that your thoughts and feelings are being communicated meaningfully and with confidence.