Laura Guarino

Never has mental health support been needed more than it does today. I see the stress people are under at work, at home, in school, and it is so clear to me that they need someone to talk to, someone who can offer a healthy perspective, someone who can suggest alternatives that can help people cope with the pressures of daily living, and their reactions to it. My personal mission is to find coping mechanisms for the patients in my care. In the 17 years since I earned my Masters Degree in Psychology at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, and the 13 years since I earned my license as a mental health counselor in Florida, I have worked hard to help people deal with their emotional reactions to their personal situations. Drug abuse, suicide ideation, anxiety and anger can be very harmful reactions to their perceptions and assessment of the problems they face. I am trained in treating with a variety of diagnoses including trauma, substance abuse, ADHD, bipolar disorder and other mental health diagnoses. I take great personal satisfaction when I can help make a difference in someone’s life. Their success is my reward. I have found that young people respond best when they believe I am listening, when they believe I can actually help them cope so that the problems they have no longer seem insurmountable. Younger children often open up during play therapy. Most of my career has been focused on children. But helping children always involves helping their families, their teachers and bringing in adult support. In the process, I have provided therapy and guidance to adults whose pressures and diagnoses have such tremendous impact on the children whose lives they touch. In my years as a mental health counselor, I have successfully treated a variety of diagnoses, working in patients’ homes, in teletherapy, and in office visits. I have treated people in in-patient hospital settings. I have been called by local police departments when a dangerous crisis has erupted and been successful getting the patient into treatment. I have been published in the local newspapers in an effort to generate awareness and help remove the stigma of mental health issues. There is so much more that needs to be done to help people with mental health issues, and I very much want to continue my efforts to be part of the solution.