i’m laurie carmichael and i’m glad you’re here!
Do you struggle with "unmasking" in a world that seems to demand neurotypical behaviors in all spheres? Do you feel disappointed or frustrated by a never ending to-do list and feeling unable to meet the standards set by yourself and others? Do you wonder if your ability to focus and find spaces to unmask could get easier? Now more than ever, neurodivergent people who receive a diagnosis later in life are feeling overwhelmed by how to grieve their past of not knowing about their brain functioning and what tools can help in living a more fulfilling life in the present and future. Counseling neurodiverse individuals and couples is my passion. I guide you to embrace your neurotype, strengthen and reinforce understanding of self and others, and provide resources for referrals if additional support as needed.
As someone who identifies as a highly sensitive person with sensory processing issues and generalized anxiety, I have lived experience of trying to fit into a world meant for neurotypical people. I am also married to a person with ADHD, so I am familiar with mixed-neurotype relationships and the joys and challenges that arise because of it.
My hope is for therapy to be a space that allows you to reconnect with your own emotional world with someone walking closely beside you in an affirming and safe way. When internal and external realities are as chaotic as they have been in recent times, it can often feel as though you are floating through time and space with no firm grounding.
I believe in the power of a strong and sturdy foundation that comes from building inner strength and resilience through processing and being aware of past and present emotional pain. Clients will hear me say frequently that the only way out is through. However, that is not a walk that needs to be done alone. As your therapist, I will hold your words and feelings with confidentiality and safety, without judgment, and with hope that there is always light on the other side of darkness. It would be my honor to participate in your healing, re-connection, reprocessing, and relearning who you are and who you choose to be.
qualifications
2023: ADHD-CCSP Certification
2020: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California
2018: M.S. in Marital and Family Therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary
2017: Certified in Prepare / Enrich, a comprehensive assessment tool to facilitate premarital counseling, both as a facilitator and a trainer (2019) for other therapists, pastors, and lay people interested in working with couples
2016: B.A. in Therapeutic and Community Psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University
