Meet Laura

I am a dually licensed mental health and substance use therapist available to do individual therapy, couples/marital therapy, and substance use counseling. I have worked with various issues presented by my clients, including depression, anxiety, abuse/trauma, relationship issues, grief/loss, lifespan and aging issues, substance use, military adjustment issues for both enlisted/active duty members and their dependents, and infertility/reproductive difficulties. A major focus of my practice is promoting emotional well-being to adults in parenthood or who may be struggling with attachment and trauma histories with their own families. As a parent myself, I feel it is important to address how our histories have affected our current functioning so we can learn how to break those cycles and give our children the best parts of us.

Photo by Emily Hardy Photography

It is my mission to provide a healthy, supportive therapeutic environment for my clients and to empower them to take control of their lives, foster personal growth and independence, and promote emotional well-being. I prefer to work collaboratively with my clients to ensure a specific treatment plan for their needs.  I typically work from a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), but I have also completed Gottman Level 1 & 2 trainings for couples work and am basic trained in Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), which is proven effective for treating anxiety, depression, single-incident and complex trauma, and various other mental health issues. I am continuously striving to learn new techniques and therapeutic approaches through continuing education to better serve my clients and to help them develop the tools necessary to be healthy, happy people.

I feel it is important to have the knowledge and skill to work with a variety of clients. In addition to my private practice, I have previously worked in a school setting in rural Nebraska with children ages 6 to 19 who struggle with emotional and behavioral issues for 2.5 years. I have also facilitated a therapy group twice per semester, as well as taught at the graduate-level, for the Graduate Department of Counseling at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Lastly, I worked in the Inpatient Psychiatric Units for CHI Hospital and Lasting Hope Recovery Center for two years as an on-call therapist, in which I engaged in therapy with adolescent and adult patients who have severe and persistent mental illness or were at significant risk of suicide.

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Minor in Sociology, December 2011 UNL; Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, December 2013 UNO

License/Certifications: LMHP #4708, LPC #2274, LADC #1194, National Certified Counselor (NCC) #331913

Additional Training: EMDR Basic Trained (Weekend 1 and Weekend 2 completed in July 2014); Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, May 2014 UNO
 
Professional Memberships: Association of Private Practice Therapists, American Counseling Association, Nebraska Counseling Association

On a Personal Note

A big part of my job is getting to know my clients and helping them develop insights about their own life. Here is a smidge about me to feel comfortable enough to even reach out and call for connection: As a working mother, I think it is incredibly important to have a healthy work/life balance. Many of my evenings and weekends are spent with my husband and two young children in the comforts of our home or out in the Omaha-area making memories. I embrace the role as their personal laundry folder and snack carrier, but also have several individual passions of my own. I enjoy trying new recipes from my favorite cooking blogs. Brunch is my favorite meal and I believe it pairs

Photo by Natasha Barker Photography

perfectly with a good cup of coffee, which most AM clients will see in my hand during the first two sessions of my day. I love completing the Omaha World Herald Lifestyle Section crossword puzzle in pen with my favorite podcast or mellow music station playing in the background. I've recently developed an affinity for gardening in the Summer and can be found wearing Husker red most Saturdays in the Fall. One of my greatest passions is to just sit and talk with people. I love to help others learn more about themselves and understand how their histories impact their current functioning. It would be my pleasure to do the same for you.

Key words: Laura Stoner, counseling west Omaha NE, therapy west Omaha NE, marital therapy, EMDR therapy Omaha, couples counseling,  trauma therapy,
​mental health therapy, substance use counseling, postpartum depression therapy, postpartum depression counseling, substance use treatment, depression, anxiety, alcoholism​