My Professional Journey -

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the change it has gone through to achieve that beauty." Maya Angelou 

My journey to becoming a therapist has unfolded over many years and through many seasons of life—some beautiful, some painful, and all meaningful. 

In 1993, I graduated Trinity University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, originally planning to pursue a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. When I discovered there was a long waitlist for the graduate program, life quietly nudged me in another direction. What followed were the years of building a life—getting married, raising two incredible children, navigating divorce, learning how to stand on my own as a single mother and eventually becoming an empty nester. During that time, I worked as an Executive Secretary in the administration offices of a fire department while doing my best to hold everything together for my family. 

Like many people, I spent much of those years in survival mode, moving forward because I had to. With the support—and sometimes a gentle challenge—of a few remarkable therapists, I started exploring the protective layers I had built over the years.

Through that process, I slowly reconnected with myself, learning to heal trauma responses and untangle beliefs I had carried for years that no longer reflected who I was. 

Along the way, life also brought unexpected joy. I met the man who is now my partner, someone who walks beside me with love, kindness, encouragement, and an adventurous spirit. One summer, while we were camping, I found myself reflecting deeply on my life and the person I was becoming. Sitting quietly in my kayak on calm blue water, surrounded by stillness, I asked myself: Who is Laurie and what do I want the next chapter of my life to look like? At that moment, I knew. I wanted to walk alongside others as they navigated their own healing. 

At 51 years old, equal parts excited and terrified—I applied to return to school. In the fall of 2022, I began the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program with Liberty University. There was a significant learning curve (especially when it came to technology!), but I embraced the challenge with determination, sleepless nights, and much gratitude. In December 2024, I graduated, completing a journey that had been quietly forming for many years. 

Today, I continue my own work of healing and growth, knowing that our stories are never truly finished. It is a deep privilege to sit with clients as they explore their experiences, rediscover their strengths, and begin writing the next chapters of their lives.