ADHD therapists and psychiatrists in Columbia, MO

Hi, and welcome to my space! I have been in the mental health field for over 19years. I am so elated to grow alongside you as change is inevitable, so is my desire to evolve. I have a primary focus on Trauma, Self-Injurious behaviors, and Suicidality; but have experience with working with family/ marital issues and those who struggle with depression and anxiety. While these are my focus areas, I am well versed in others as my training within coursework, and direct supervision has given me the opportunity to support many others.

I have over 15 years of experience as a therapist after receiving a Master's Degree at the University of Missouri. In 2011, I went through extensive training to become EMDR certified. I have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as addiction counseling. In March of 2025 I became certified in grief counseling.

I am passionate about guiding my clients toward their goals with warmth and non-judgement. I use a variety of therapeutic approaches tailored to each individual and strive to strike a balance between helping someone understand the "why" and the "how" throughout therapy. Asking why did I come to be here; what have I been doing that isn't working anymore and how can I go about change? Pain, whether relational or within work-life can be an invitation to make the changes necessary to grow. I believe that growth toward a successful and healthy future is possible with deeper understanding of one's past and taking steps toward change.

I have interests and experience in serving adult clients who have experienced a trauma in the past, relational loss, anxiety/depression, abuse, career challenges and addiction. My training in EMDR and Internal Family Systems have helped me as I come alongside those who have experienced various types of trauma. I have been trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which offers practical tools for change.

If you are looking for a warm therapist who will gently challenge you to take a look at your situation through fresh eyes, I can help. Everyone experiences pain in life. Sometimes all we need is for someone to walk alongside us for a season.

Life has a way of bringing us to crossroads. You may be feeling stuck in anxiety, depression, unhealthy relationship patterns, addictions, grief, or simply sensing that the life you're living no longer fits who you're becoming. Perhaps you've spent years taking care of everyone else and now find yourself wondering, "What about me?" I specialize in working with adults navigating life's transitions, especially midlife and beyond. I often describe this season as "middle-escence". Like adolescence, it can bring enormous change-changing relationships, aging parents, launching adult children, career shifts, retirement, health concerns, questions about identity, purpose, and meaning. While these transitions can feel unsettling, they also offer an opportunity for profound growth.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 2003 and a master’s degree in counseling in 2005, both from Missouri State University.

For the past 20 years, I have had the opportunity to work with students and parents, in high school, middle school and elementary settings, as an educator and Professional School Counselor. Over the years, I have also worked with many struggling youth during my role as a Missouri Options Liaison, as well as a Community Service Liaison, providing outreach in the community. More recently, I received court mediator training, which provided new insight into conflict resolution procedures. Prior to counseling, I was an elementary teacher, working with students to help them achieve academic goals, while also facilitating emotional growth, and social awareness as well.

For over 20 years I have worked with students of all ages, as well as many parents and families. I specialize in helping one navigate the neurodivergent brain, anxiety and depression in adolescent youth, family counseling, couple’s counseling, emotional and social struggles, as well as adults working through childhood trauma.

With a career spanning nearly two decades in child welfare and clinical social work, Laura provides a specialized safe place for youth (ages 3–26) navigating life’s most difficult experiences. Her practice focuses on building inner coping and resilience by enhancing bodily awareness and active curiosity, ensuring that healing isn’t just a cognitive process, but a physical one.

Specialized Clinical Focus:

Childhood Trauma: Expert in childhood sexual abuse, abuse and neglect, grief, bullying, complex medical diagnosis/complications, and all the BAD, SAD, and SCARY things in-between.

Specialized Sexual Behavior Work: Extensive experience facilitating therapy for children and adolescents with inappropriate and illegal sexual behaviors.

Systemic Support: Navigating foster care, adoption, divorce, family and/or sibling dynamics, behavioral struggles, and school avoidance.