"Laura Jean has the ability to make you feel instantly safe and the courage to challenge you to stretch through the hardest moments."
Male Workshop Participant
If you have a few moments, here's a bit about me and my practice:
I've been a therapist since 1988. I've been practicing Imago Relationship
Therapy, in my personal life and in my work with clients, since 1991. In my
journey to grow and develop as a person, a partner and a professional, Imago
continually guides me as a core theory and foundational process from which I
work and strive to live. I find Imago to be truly helpful and, when
practiced, to be profoundly life changing, both for couples and for
individuals.
I began my therapy career working with adolescents and their families in an
inpatient chemical dependency program. I was very fortunate to have that
experience! I practiced individual therapy, group therapy and family
therapy; worked within a team of therapists, chemical dependency counselors
and psychiatrists; and taught classes for parents on the subjects of family
systems and chemical dependency and recovery. In addition to learning about
addiction and codependency, I learned about family systems, and, I began the
journey of more deeply learning about myself.
Since then, my specialty area of focus has been marriage and relationship
therapy. I am strongly grounded in the perspective that marriage, by its
very nature, offers a unique and deeply profound laboratory for healing and
growth - both for the individual partners and the partnership itself. I
believe the struggle and despair showing up in our intimate love
relationships are the "nightmare" we encounter to "wake us up" to the
deeper, more authentic and fulfilling parts of our own whole self ... our
relationship conflicts have purposeful meaning and within them exist
opportunities for our good!
My work, first and foremost, is to create safety in the therapeutic
relationship with clients. I strive to be mindfully present, compassionate,
respectful and authentic in our interactions. I believe, and research shows,
it is the relationship that heals - when we feel safe and connected, we heal
and grow.
I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, in 1984, from The
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and my Master of Arts
Degree in Psychology, in 1988, from Houston Baptist University. I was an
intensive care nurse before I became a therapist. I began working as a
therapist, in 1988, and I've been in Private Practice since 1992.
I began using Imago in 1991, became a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist
in1996, an Advanced Clinician in 2006, a Certified Couples Workshop
Presenter in 2009 and a Certified Individuals Workshop Presenter in 2014. In
addition to Imago, I am now, as of March, 2023, an IFIO Couple Therapist - that is, Intimacy From The Inside Out. IFIO Couple Therapy is a psychotherapy method using a systems/relational approach to offer personal healing and relationship help. I am trained in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy -
Completion of EFT Basic Externship. I also have training in PACT Couple
Therapy - I am a Level II PACT Couple Therapist. PACT is the
Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy - in this approach we focus on
helping couples create secure functioning partnerships. I am Level 2 Trained in IFS - Internal Family Systems - Therapy. I find IFIO, IFS, PACT and
EFT blend well with and compliment Imago to help create emotional safety, to
enhance and deepen empathy and connection and to offer a more comprehensive
couple therapy experience. I have been introduced to and am also Level
1 trained in Gottman Couple Therapy.
Two modalities I've trained in that I find very helpful and incorporate into
my work are Interactive Guided Imagery and Voice Dialogue/The Psychology of
The Selves. I also utilize study and skills in the areas of Interpersonal
Neurobiology and Mindfulness Practice; in particular, I am excited about how
these modalities validate and enhance couple therapy work.
A seasoned therapist of 30 plus years, I have gained knowledge and
skills through years of experience and many continuing education hours and
trainings in various adjunct areas, such as chemical dependency
counseling, grief counseling, and Anger Resolution Therapy. While these and
other trainings help ground me as a more resourceful and well rounded
therapist, my primary focus for continuing education and advanced training
is couple counseling and my specialty practice remains marriage and
relationship therapy.
I know I am a better therapist today than I was 30 years ago, and I
hope I am a better therapist today than I was two days ago. Perhaps of all
the supervision and training I pursue, my best teachers are my clients and
the therapeutic relationship, itself. When I stay open, as the therapist, I
learn from my clients. I commit to you that, in my work, I do endeavor to
collaborate, self-reflect and stretch into my own growth edge to be the most
helpful therapist I can be for you. In our therapeutic relationship, I want
to hear from you and receive your feedback.
I do this work because I care and I want to be of service. I am passionate
about love and relationship. Connection matters. I absolutely believe in the
transformative power of relationship - in particular, I believe in the
transformative power of marriage, intimate committed love partnership. These
are deeply held core values of mine. I am passionate about them. I have the
incredible privilege of working with people in the most precious and sacred
parts of their lives - their intimate love relationships. I am touched and
inspired by them. I am on the journey, too. Working as a therapist assisting
couples to love - supporting clients to do the hard work of letting
down their defenses; stepping into their fears and exploring the "more" of
what they might find on the other side of their stuckness; grieving their
pain; opening up to and sharing their deeper, more vulnerable, authentic
selves; stretching out of old, familiar patterns and doing the new,
different thing that will create healing, safety and connection; becoming
more consciously self-aware and compassionately other-aware; of transforming
and creating a more conscious, real love relationship - working as a
therapist assisting couples to love touches me deeply in my own core
and inspires me to do the same.
I live in The Woodlands, Texas, with my Sweetheart, Tim. As my husband and
life partner, he is my closest companion, most fervent and challenging
teacher and my greatest gift on this journey of life and love. I am so
grateful to tell you that I think he loves to dance almost as much as I!
Dancing is "our thing" as a couple and I am eternally grateful for our
health that we can do it, because dancing feeds my soul ... and dancing
together with Tim feeds ours.
I wish you healing and hope, connection and growth, peace, joy and the love
you desire.