Laura Phen , LPC

Laura Phen is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 25 years of experience. She focuses on helping people facing relationship strain, anxiety, depression, trauma, and intimacy-related concerns. Her approach is warm and straightforward, aimed at guiding people through difficult moments and rebuilding connection with themselves and others.

She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where a person can speak openly and make sense of painful experiences. Sessions often begin with what matters most to the client and practical steps they can try between meetings. Laura blends listening with hands-on tools so progress feels intentional and doable.

Her work covers a wide range of issues beyond relationships and mood concerns. She helps people cope with grief, stress, sleep problems, compassion fatigue, and the effects of chronic illness or pain. She also supports those dealing with abandonment, codependency, and feelings of emptiness.

Laura uses approaches that focus on the person and on skills practice. She draws from client-centered work to center the person’s experience, cognitive behavioral methods to change unhelpful thinking and behavior, and dialectical behavior skills for emotional regulation. Mindfulness exercises are offered to help reduce reactivity and improve focus.

People come to her for help with career stress, parenting strain, ADHD, bipolar mood challenges, and post-traumatic stress. Her style is collaborative and practical, aimed at small, steady changes that add up over time.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding a person’s experience. In practice this means the therapist reflects what matters to the client and helps them set goals that feel authentic. It is useful for people who need a supportive space to make sense of relationship and emotional struggles.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, teaches practical tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Sessions often include simple exercises and homework to try between meetings, which can help with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, offers concrete skills for managing big emotions and improving relationships through emotion regulation and communication practice.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy makes those approaches accessible through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video works well for deeper conversation and skill practice. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when a person prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging let people check in between appointments or use shorter, timely support. These options offer flexibility to fit therapy into work, parenting, and daily life.