First and foremost, I am a mother to an amazing 13-year-old son. Next, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and I have been in the field for 18 years. I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults in various fields. I have two masters degrees. One in Human Counseling Systems and one in Social Work. I have worked in the Juvenile Justice System, the school system, the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and various civilian agencies.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During our first session, I will ask you a lot of questions:). I want to get to know your story. In other words, I want to find out what brought you to therapy. I need to know about your background. The more I know about you, the more I can help you. Going to therapy, especially if it is your first time, can be a little intimidating at first. But, I promise, I will make it as comfortable as I can. We can take it slow and if a topic is too painful for you, we don't have to talk about it. You are in charge.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
First and foremost, I am nonjudgmental. Every person has a story that makes them unique. Everyone is human and has made mistakes. No one is perfect and no one has a right to judge anyone. That includes me. Next, I am a great listener, and I actively listen to what you have to say, I'm not just waiting to "tell you what to do". Finally, I will find a way to help you. It will require some hard work on your part, but I will not give up on you and neither should you! There is hope!
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I love working with clients who are open to change. Change is difficult and most people are resistant at first. But I believe every person has the ability to make changes in their lives. And I am here to guide them in that process.
About Laura McLaughlin
Serves ages
Licensed in
Accepts
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I've been using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in my practice for the past 20 years. It helps clients challenge negative thoughts and manage their depression anxiety. We'll utilize CBT to recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. Next, we'll use that information to change your thought patterns, which will help reduce your depression, anxiety, and stress levels.
Eclectic
I utilize an eclectic approach to therapy because every client is different, and one size doesn't fit all. In other words, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the other. As a result, more than one type of therapeutic approach is needed in order to help a client get better. Likewise, a client often seeks therapy because they have more than one issue thus more than one type of evidence-based therapy is required.
Supportive
I've always incorporated Supportive Therapy into my sessions. Supportive Therapy includes actively listening to you, being able to be empathic to your life story, providing you with encouragement and giving you positive feedback. Furthermore, I provide you with psychoeducation, which means I will give you information about your mental health issues and coping strategies to deal with your issues. Finally, I will teach you problem solving skills and help you view your situation from a different perspective which will allow you to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Even though I have been using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in my practice for a long time, I am currently going through the process of becoming certified in DBT. If you have any questions regarding what this process entails, please let me know. DBT has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, and ADHD. It focuses on four areas: 1. Emotion Regulation and helps clients decrease the ups and downs of their moods; 2. Distress Tolerance which helps clients accept reality so they can decrease their impulsive behaviors and make desired changes; 3. Mindfulness which helps clients become fully aware and be in the present moment so they can act deliberately; 4. Interpersonal Effectiveness which helps clients focus on their communication and relationship skills so they can decrease relationship conflict, stress, and loneliness.