Laurie King, MS

Couples and Family Associate Therapist

Certified Imago Relationship Therapist

Approach to counseling

As a relationship-positive therapist, I find great joy in helping couples rebuild connection and restore intimacy. 

If this is your first experience with couples therapy, I understand that it may feel scary or intimidating to seek relationship help from a stranger. (I definitely had my doubts when my partner and I first started couples counseling.) You might be concerned that couples counseling consists of you and your partner blaming each other for the problems in your relationship. Or that you will simply be recreating the fight you had at home last week. To be clear, this is not what will happen in our sessions together.

In a safe and supportive environment, I will teach you how to talk with each other without blame or criticism. I will teach you how to get move past the conflict and rediscover a deeper connection with your partner. 

Who am I?

When my relationship got stuck in conflict, my partner and I decided to give couples counseling a try. Until that point, I had never seen any kind of therapist, let alone a couples therapist, and I had no idea what to expect. The experience turned out to be life changing. Not only did we, as a couple, learn a healthier way to communicate, I also began to understand my personal triggers and how my triggers play a role in in my relationship conflict. I decided I wanted to share this experience with other couples and I went back to school to become a couples therapist. I earned my masters degree in Couples and Family Therapy from the University of Oregon. 

In addition to my degree, I am certified as an Imago Relationship Therapist. I use Imago in my work with couples because I have found it to be one of the most effective models in couples therapy. If you want to learn more about the Imago model, I recommend the book, Getting the Love You Want.

I am also trained in Mindful Self-Compassion and I incorporate the concepts of self-compassion in each of my sessions and will teach you to treat yourself with the kindness and understanding when you are struggling.

I am an associate therapist registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. I am supervised by Sara Pitkanen, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.