Laura (Lori) Patin

I am a level 2 certified Gottman trained couples therapist as well as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and have held this license since 2004. This means I am highly trained when it comes to working with couples to resolve issues, look at long-standing patterns of ineffective behavior and communication while developing new ways of becoming the healthy couple they seek to be. The Gottman Method is highly recognized and valued around the world for its effectiveness.

Working with complex systems such as a family requires careful skill, courage, a clear understanding of family dynamics, and a touch of grace. Each family member should feel they trust the therapist and are being given a chance to be heard, all the while, the therapist is juggling up to 6+ family members thoughts, feelings, current, and past pains. It requires an enormous amount of training, understanding of the system (family) you enter and their trust. It’s the best part of my job!

Eye Movement De-sensitization and Reprocessing (what a mouthful!) Basically the training is extensive (I have completed it all) and take every class I can to increase my knowledge. If you feel “stuck” or still bothered by a trauma, no matter how big or small, it is an unprocessed trauma and EMDR is for you. This process un-sticks trauma and removes your bothersome symptoms.

I work with ages 14 and up. Adolescence is always a tricky and emotionally-ruled time with transitions for everyone. My goal is always to establish a bond with the adolescent and then shift that back between adolescent and their parent. I also work very effectively with later adolescents and young adults; a time when most mental disorders (i.e. anxiety, depression etc) begin to display true symptoms. This population is generally highly motivated to make changes and a joy to work with.

Coming from a 2nd generation Army family I am quite familiar with PTSD. I was motivated to help people with this disorder because of my family’s military background. My clients will tell you I am quoted as repeating... “PTSD is just a delayed response to a traumatic event, everyone HAS to respond sometime, let’s do this!” Armed with EMDR we cannot go wrong in facing PTSD with the individual, and btw, I view PTSD as a family affair!

From my very first class in graduate school in marriage and family systems I was sold on the concept of looking at people not just as individuals but as parts of all the people who have either made them or influenced their lives heavily. Therefore, when couples come to see me I tell them your marriage/relationship is my client, each of you individually are not. We use a variety of methods based on the couple and where there relationship is to decide how to proceed. I do not separate couples.

From my very first class in graduate school in marriage and family systems I was sold on the concept of looking at people not just as individuals but as parts of all the people who have either made them or influenced their lives heavily. Therefore, when couples come to see me I tell them your marriage/relationship is my client, each of you individually are not. We use a variety of methods based on the couple and where there relationship is to decide how to proceed. I do not separate couples.