Laura Hagen, LMFT

You are brimming with a story.  A story about your life, your relationships, your pains, and your hopes.  And I want to listen.  My first priority in therapy is making you feel truly seen and understood.  I believe that inside all of us, at our cores, we are not only capable of handling anything life throws at us with resilience, we have the ability to be confident in ourselves and to be truly connected in our relationships.  I want to help you find the power you already have inside of you, no matter how deep you feel it may be buried.  Often this starts with figuring out what’s getting in your way, and working together to find ways to change the pattern.

There’s no denying it: change takes hard work, and sometimes it can feel almost too overwhelming to start.  And that is why I will welcome you to my office every time I see you with the same warmth and acceptance, guiding you along each step of the way.  Life will never stop being challenging and unpredictable, but I can teach you how to bolster yourself against it.  That way, not only are you more prepared and confident to deal with what life brings next, but you are more present to notice, relax, celebrate, and enjoy all of the beautiful things life brings along too.

I am passionate about helping individuals, couples, and families build the tools they need to communicate, solve problems, and feel connected to themselves and each other.  I earned my Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from The Family Institute at Northwestern University, where I was trained to provide therapy that is designed for and adjusted to your unique needs.  I draw from a variety of methods (including CBT, EFT, and mindfulness) in accordance with what is working for you, and what isn’t.  I have experience helping people with anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, premarital counseling, affair recovery, grief, substance abuse, trauma, and life transitions.  I am here to welcome the full you in all parts of your culture, race, gender, sexual orientation and other intersections of your identity.  You are brave for taking the first step, and you will be challenged to continue to be brave as you open yourself up over the course of therapy.  I promise that in return, I will always bring my genuine self, and my humanity, to our time together.