Hello! My name is Laurie...

I am a certified clinical adult and child trauma specialist, but I too have camped out in the black hole of hopelessness fueled by painful and traumatic experiences. I understand well that emotional pain left unresolved shows up in the quality of our health and relationships, and often leads to poor coping and decision-making.

Trauma is often the culprit and seed of many presenting issues ranging from depression, anxiety, people pleasing, overworking, obsessive compulsive disorders, perfectionism, anger and rage, memory loss, problems with attention / focus, fears and phobias, isolation, overcompensating behaviors, and addictions of every kind. Trauma can also be associated with promiscuity, identity struggles, eating disorders, dysfunctional and unhealthy, toxic relationships, negative changes in family functioning, fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders and chronic, physical pain. The list seems endless.

Credentials & Experience

I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Minor in Criminology / Criminal Justice from Portland State University. My Masters Degree is in Clinical Mental Heath Counseling from George Fox University. I am a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Counseling Association (ACA), the Colorado Counseling Association (CCA), and the Oregon Counselor's Association (ORCA) where I have served as Treasurer and executive board member for eight years.

As a certified clinical child and adult trauma professional (CCTP-II) and specialist, I am a member of the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP). I have specialized training in Grief and Loss by David Kessler, one of the world's foremost experts on healing and loss and am Level I trained by David Burns, MD., a Stanford University professor who developed T.E.A.M. CBT, a cognitive behavioral intervention protocol that builds upon Aaron Beck’s theory. Additionally I have significant training hours in Internal Family systems (IFS) and am Level I and II trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), both powerful treatment protocols that help to alleviate the all-encompassing mind-body distress associated with traumatic experiences (EMDRIA approved). I also incorporate Somatic Experiencing and am certified in Somatic Therapy for Complex Trauma, which is a mind-body treatment approach that works to release the trapped procedural memories of trauma that are experienced as anxiety, phobias, fears, emotional numbness, dissociation, ADHD and panic attacks.

I hold the NCC designation (National Certified Counselor) where I earned my therapy ballz by passing a grueling four-hour exam. In addition to providing individual therapy, I have also facilitated counseling groups that include skills training, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), anger management, psycho-education and advocacy. I have worked extensively with trauma and addiction, including men in long-term residential treatment who battle repeated incarceration and co-occurring mental health challenges, often including poverty and homelessness, failing health, unemployment and estrangement from their families.