I Alicia Laguna , am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I maintain a private practice in Arcata, California and I work with individuals, couples, families and groups. I work from a humanistic and holistic perspective, taking into consideration the psychological, physical and spiritual aspects of the person/people with whom I am counseling.
With 30 years experience as a Marriage and Family Therapist, and as a graduate of Sonoma State University, I work with a broad spectrum of clients. Among my areas of expertise are loss, grief and life transitions. In addition, I have extensive experience working with recovery, trauma, lesbian/gay/bisexual and women's issues.
Loss is an ever present aspect of life yet so few are prepared to deal with it. Loss comes in many forms. The more we know about the process of grieving the better able we are to address our losses effectively. Please read my article, "Living With Loss and Grief" which is under "My Articles" link.
Many times the journey of counseling is initiated by a life crisis, when one's resources have been exhausted and it is time to gather more tools for life's tool box. Reaching out for support is an act of strength, not weakness, as some still believe. I see my role as a facilitator of change, I am not a fixer. In a safe environment and the support and encouragement of a therapist with whom you feel connected to, your own solutions can be uncovered.
My diverse and extensive counseling career has prepared me to work well with a wide range of issues and people. I am an interactive, person-focused therapist. My approach is to meet people where they are, provide emotional support and practical feedback in order to effectively help address personal life challenges. I integrate complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, I work with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing. One of my main goals in working with people is to help develop and/or increase feelings of empowerment and independence.
Education: Masters in Counseling
License: Marriage and Family Therapist
Associations: California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Northern California Association for Mental Health Practitioners
(NCAMHP)