Laura Cochling, M.Ed., LPC, NCC
Laura received her Bachelor of Arts in 1997 then followed with her Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling in 1999 from the University of Georgia. Throughout her 15+ years in practice, she has worked with a variety of population and gained experience working with a number of issues. Eventually she moved into private practice, where she began working more specifically with couples, young adults, and individuals dealing with grief and loss in their lives.
Laura utilizes a Cognitive-Behavioral approach when working with her clients. This method examines thinking patterns and beliefs that are negatively affecting your perception and impacting the way you respond to events around you. For example, you may subscribe to what's known as "black & white" thinking, where you interpret events as either all good or all bad. This can create problems in your relationships and your ability to experience any sort of joy or accomplishment because you're unable to see any middle ground. Laura also integrates a solution-focused and client-centered approach to ensure collaboration and focus on the change you want to achieve during our time together.
LAURA'S SPECIALTIES
Couples & Marital Counseling
Couples often seek counseling for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they're seeking to improve their communication skills and work better as partners. Other times, they're in crisis and looking for help making difficult decisions about their relationships. The goals of couples counseling are developed by each partner and success largely depends on their motivation and dedication to the process. Couples who attend counseling and work to build their relationship can expect to improve their listening skills, their teamwork, and understanding of each other as partners. Laura utilizes a variety of techniques, such as those from Imago Therapy and Relational Life Therapy (Terry Real) , to help couples ensure that they're communicating in meaningful and productive ways, rather than using hurtful language and creating a tense environment.
Various Topics Addressed are:
Improved communication and authenticity between you and your partner
Increasing feelings of intimacy and connection
Increased awareness of how you and your partner convey your affection for each other
Increased understanding of each other's feelings and relief from the need to blame
Learning how to truly be emotionally supportive
Young Adult Counseling
Making the transition from your teens to adulthood is filled with a number of possibilities that can be staggering to sort through. Young adults are facing a number of unique challenges in today's culture. You may struggle with establishing yourself following the completion of your education. Or you may find yourself moving back home as a result of debt and an increasingly complex career landscape. Many young adults are taught to follow a simple path: complete your education, find employment, and eventually settle down and begin a family. However, rarely are things that simple. Laura often works with young adults on recognizing the effect of social pressures on their decision-making process, the development of their identity, and the kinds of relationships in which they engage. Young adults who find success through therapy often report a greater sense of direction in their lives, self-assurance, and confidence in their decision-making abilities.
Various Topics Addressed are:
Transitional Issues
Interpersonal Struggles
Anxiety & Depression
Social Expectations
Feelings of Emptiness, Worthlessness, and Failure
Unresolved past experiences and trauma
Grief & Loss