Laura Gardner
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
LMFT 53622
Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology
Does it feel like nothing is ever good enough and neither are you? You don’t have to feel this way—therapy helps. We will work together so you can learn to calm yourself down, build confidence, feel more hopeful, communicate more effectively, build and have better relationships, feel comfortable in your own skin, feel whole, and much more!
My areas of focus include relationship issues; perfectionism; compulsive behaviors (overeating, drinking, dieting, work, sex...); trauma (e.g. rape, abuse, car accidents...); couples (interracial and interfaith); and cross-cultural issues. I have a warm and direct style and whether you’re seeing me as an individual or as a couple, you will come away from our work with more choice and freedom in your life.
Passion for my work combines my interests in the body/mind connection, love of diverse cultures, and fascination with human nature. I love what I do and truly respect my clients' willingness to bring their inner world to the forefront. Let's talk so you can begin the journey to feel better.
Holistic therapist. EMDR practitioner. John F. Kennedy University alumna. Connecticut College alumna. Thought partner. Grateful Heart marketing coach. Former Grateful Heart board member. Dog mom. Anti-racist. Bay Area native. World traveler. Music lover. Former yogi. Metaphysical ponderer. And much more...
While my life and work experiences are varied and diverse, you may wonder what qualifies me to help you. I’ve been supporting individuals and couples in a private practice setting since 2006, and have been licensed since 2013. My experience includes facilitating diversity and inclusion staff workshops at UC Berkeley; working with sexual assault survivors at Rape Trauma Services; and counseling children individually and in groups in a school setting. I’ve formally studied attachment-focused EMDR; anatomy and massage; Ashtanga and Anusara yoga; and had a nearly 20-year career at UC Berkeley in various positions before and while I became a therapist.
With me, no topic is off limits! One of my mentors recalled this kernel of truth, "Trauma and injury happen in relationship, so healing has to happen in relationship as well." I like to add humor at times in sessions (only when it’s appropriate, of course), and our sessions will include some of the following:
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- Body awareness
- Mindfulness and breathing
- Relatable stories
- Questions
- Art—like drawing
- EMDR
- Exploring your personal history
- In-the-moment observations
- Challenging negative beliefs
- Props like pillows and blankets
- Focusing on our interpersonal dynamics
- Or we'll just talk!
- Young Adult: 18-25
- Adults: 25-65
- Individuals
- Premarital Couples
- Couples
- Activists
- Adoptees
- Artists
- Immigrants
- Interfaith Couples
- LGBTQIAA+ persons
- Men
- Military Personnel
- Persons Experiencing Grief and Loss
- Persons in Polyamorous Relationships
- Persons Recovering from Traumatic Events/Experiences
- Persons Struggling with/Recovering from Addiction
- Persons with Histories of Childhood Sexual Abuse
- Persons with Histories of Physical or Emotional Abuse
- Spiritual Seekers/Practitioners
- Women
- Other:
Interracial Couples
- EMDR
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Relational Psychotherapy
- Somatic Psychotherapy
- Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy
- Other:
Attachment-Focused EMDR
I have a very strong conviction to create a more equal, just, inclusive, and diverse world. It’s important to me that we continuously fight racism, sexism, and discrimination of all kinds (especially given our current political climate). I’ve led diversity and inclusion trainings with UC Berkeley staff about privilege, mental illness, and unconscious bias, to name a few. My interest in diversity and inclusion comes from growing up in the Bay Area; having a bilingual education; working with ESL students, professors, and international executives; spending a lot of time in in the Caribbean and Europe; having queer and straight friends and clients; and being a great-grandchild of immigrants. I give either time or money to the National Museum of African-American History, the Humane Society, the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, National Geographic, and various smaller nonprofits.
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
$150
$120-$150
No
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1240 Powell Street, Emeryville, CA 94608
- Monday Afternoon
- Monday Evening
- Wednesday Afternoon
- Wednesday Evening
- Thursday Afternoon
- Thursday Evening
- Friday Afternoon
- Saturday Morning
- Saturday Afternoon
The best way to check my availability is to email me at contact@holisticgardner.com or contact me through my website. I am accepting new clients through tele-therapy via video and/or phone to all who want to be seen during this time.
04/10/2020