Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Lee Townsend
Hi Laura Lee, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2015, I gave myself permission to go back to school and get my master’s degree to become a therapist. I applied to Pepperdine University’s Clinical Psychology program and was ecstatic when I was accepted.
Little did I realize then, that it would be a six-year journey to my own private practice as an EMDR therapist, specializing in helping adults heal from trauma.
I graduated summa cum laude from Pepperdine University in 2018 while having my daughter in the middle of my schooling plus working part-time and earning licensure hours. I could never have pulled all that off without my partner Adam’s help and support. I completed my 3,000 hours and became fully licensed in 2021 as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in 2022.
I started my own practice in San Clemente, CA in 2021 and continued working in the Laguna Beach, CA office one day a week where I did my training. In 2021, we also learned we were expecting twins, which do not run in either of our families, so it was an enormous shock!
In preparation, I made the difficult decision to leave the Laguna Beach, CA location and focus on my San Clemente location. We also started planning our move from CA to Ohio, our home state, where the cost of living was much more affordable for our growing family.
We arrived in Columbus, Ohio last summer and are absolutely loving it! Our children are thriving, and I am honored that so many clients stayed with me through the move. I am still licensed in CA and see many clients from there as well as Ohio where I am also licensed.
I’m so grateful to have a beautiful office so close to where I live in Gahanna, Ohio where I can see clients in person and virtually. My schedule fits the needs of my family, which is what the decision to go back to school was all about in the first place – to give me better work/life balance.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been so many challenges! The path to becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor took much longer than I thought – about double how long I anticipated it would take.
For one, I took 6 months off of work and school in the middle of my graduate program when I had my oldest daughter. I also did not realize just how long it would take to earn the 3,000 hours of experience necessary to sit for the board examinations in California. I had a lot of different internship sites, which provided me with invaluable experience, and it was also a lot to manage when I finally submitted everything for licensure.
Another challenge I encountered was a clerical/technical delay that added an extra 6-9 months to the process of becoming a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. I had to jump through a lot of clerical hoops and be patient with forms and filings. It all worked out in the end, but it certainly tested my commitment and dedication.
The biggest challenge by far was learning we were having twins and knowing that for us, the best decision would be to move to a more affordable place for our exponentially growing family. That also meant moving my business. I had known San Clemente as home for almost 20 years, so leaving was extremely difficult. We had friends like family there and we loved our daughter’s school at Las Palmas Elementary. However, being back in our home state and especially the diverse and vibrant city of Columbus, Ohio, has been wonderful and rewarding.
It’s exciting to be growing a practice in two states and it makes me eager to become licensed in other states in the future as my business expands.
We’ve been impressed with The Integrative Counseling Center, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My private practice is The Integrative Counseling Center. I am a trauma therapist and I specialize in EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy).
EMDR therapy is a specialized training that was originally designed to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) survivors. There’s now plenty of research to support that it has many more uses: complex PTSD, severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, substance abuse, sexual abuse, eating disorders, phobias, and more. EMDR therapy is approved and used by the World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, American Psychological Organization, the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense, among many other organizations.
As a certified EMDR therapist, I help adults heal from traumatic experiences so they can feel better in their bodies and minds, have greater trust and safety within themselves and others, and experience more authentic, enriching lives.
I especially enjoy working with creative adults who are performers or entrepreneurs who are struggling personally and/or professionally to have the relationships they desire. I get so much joy from watching my clients amaze themselves when they achieve a goal that they previously were sure was out of reach for them. I also enjoy supporting my LGBTQIA community and helping individuals figure out what intentional, authentic relationships look like for them. Watch my introductory video here: https://www.integrativetherapyoc.com/about
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I see clients in-person and virtually. As a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in California and Ohio, I am available to clients all over these vast states.
I’m grateful for the flexibility that telehealth brings to clients who may not otherwise have access to specialized care. I am currently accepting new clients and offer 15-minute free consultations to prospective clients who want to see if we are a good fit to work together.
As an out-of-network provider, I love educating my clients about the service Thrizer that helps them get reimbursement for our work together, depending on their insurance plan. Prospective clients can learn more about Thrizer and how they make therapy more affordable and accessible for people here: https://www.thrizer.com/for-clients
For anyone interested in healing or breaking through mental barriers, please visit my website to learn more: http://theintegrativecounselingcenter.com/about
Pricing:
- $225 per 50-minute session
- $295 per 80-minute session
Contact Info:
