Email me to ask anything or to schedule with me directly: laurel@hopemft.com

Specializations: Anxiety, Depression, Ambiguous Loss, Grief, including from Sudden and Unexpected Death, Trauma and PTSD, Life Transitions, Chronic Illness, Couples, Veteran and Veteran families, Military Sexual Trauma, Abuse, Neurodiversity, Body Image, Mixed-
Faith Relationships

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I understand individuals within the context of
environments and systems, and that they can learn to draw upon their experience and
strengths, including available internal and external resources to develop skills, cultivate
hope, and grow in confidence and thriving.

I love to help clients come to understand and honor their own journeys by recognizing the
narratives that have shaped their self-understanding so far and to develop narratives that
honor their experience, strength, and resilience, and which also allow for new
interpretation and creative change.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective for treating anxiety, depression,
pain, Through ACT, I help clients to build rich and meaningful lives through recognizing and
accepting their emotions rather than trying to control or get rid of unpleasant ones,
stepping out of struggle with thoughts and feelings to greater freedom and power to act in
ways that matter to them, based on what they truly value, and create rich and meaningful
lives.

One of the ways I help clients heal and learn to trust themselves is with EMDR, an evidence-
based therapy developed specifically for trauma. One of the things that some clients like
about EMDR over other therapies for trauma is that it is not necessary to talk about the
traumatic memories, though many clients do find it helpful to do so. Not all traumatic
effects of our experience are from events commonly defined as trauma. EMDR can help
with any experience from which we emerged with beliefs that interfere with healthy,
adaptive thriving.

I appreciate the discomfort and invigoration of new ideas and the beauty and richness of
being with people whose lives and experience are different from mine. I am so grateful to
live in a place where in 10 minutes I can have a mountain under my feet, feeling grounded
and elevated by gazing up. I also enjoy creative activities, including cooking, baking,
reading, writing poetry, and being in the presence of people I love.

Qualifications:

  • Master’s Degree in Social Work
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker
  • EMDR Trained
  • ACT Trained
  • Experience with treating military and combat-related trauma/PTSD, including military sexual trauma
  • Trained in Caring for Those Experiencing Sudden and Unexpected Death (Suicide, Overdose, Homicide, COVID-19, or Other Traumatic Death)