Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr, Laura Streyffeler.
Hi Dr, Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story… or my life’s purpose is, to turn the pain of my early years into purpose, passion and healing…both for myself and for my clients.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I grew up in a toxic household with two parents who struggled with significant mental health issues, married and divorced an abusive and cheating husband, and then spent 7 years working on myself before meeting and marrying my current husband of almost 30 years.
We have a loving, healthy and committed relationship/marriage, and a 25-year-old son!
In addition to my personal experience, I am a licensed mental health counselor with over 30 years’ experience providing individual and relationship counseling to couples who have struggled with family of origin related issues, infidelity, domestic violence, sexual violence, mental health and/or substance abuse issues, grief, incarceration, and more. I have a PhD in human services, am a board-certified expert in traumatic stress, and am credentialed as an expert in domestic/family/sexual violence and abuse, and forensic counseling. You name it, I’ve likely worked with a person or couple struggling with it. In my professional career, I have seen so many of my clients go from trauma and disconnection to healing and connection.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a licensed mental health counselor with over 30 years’ experience providing individual and relationship counseling to couples who have struggled with family of origin related issues, infidelity, domestic violence, sexual violence, mental health and/or substance abuse issues, grief, incarceration, and more. I have a PhD in human services, am a board-certified expert in traumatic stress, and am credentialed as an expert in domestic/family/sexual violence and abuse, and forensic counseling. You name it, I’ve likely worked with a person (or couple) struggling with it. In my professional career, I have seen so many of my clients go from trauma and disconnection to healing and connection.
In addition to my counseling practice, I prove expert witness testimony and/or consultation throughout the state of Florida for domestic/sexual violence as well as many other types of trauma. I have testified in family, criminal, dependency, and civil cases.
I have also been an adjunct at Florida Gulf Coast University in the criminal justice program. I provide training seminars and presentations at conferences and local human services agencies on domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape, trauma, addictions, and forensic psychology.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Mark Twain once wrote, “I try never to allow my schooling to interfere with my education” and I couldn’t agree more. Despite having an advance degree, my greatest teachers have been my clients. For 35 years I have provided clinical services to a wide range of clients, but for the first 25 years of practice, I worked predominately with men and women who have been victims of domestic and/or sexual violence, child abuse/neglect and human trafficking.
The credit goes to those who honored me by trusting me with their pain, trauma and often lifelong “secrets”. The strength and courage it took to speak what was once thought to be unspeakable, in hopes to heal, (I began working with victims of domestic/sexual violence in the late 1980]s, well before “me too” or social media opened the door to discussion.
Contact Info:
- Website: drlaura@drlauracounseling.com
- Instagram: @drlaurastreyffeler
