Laura Szyikowski’s Past work
Experience
Individual Therapy
From peer counseling in high school and college, to professional counseling in the environments of community-based (homes, schools, college), prison, private offices, and state employee offices. I have offered individual counseling part-time throughout my career.
River Lily Counseling has been open for business since July 2020, and I have been offering individual therapy full time at this practice since January 2021.
Before opening this practice, I provided individual counseling as a component of the following employment history (typically 5 hours a week):
North Carolina Department of Corrections- 2000-2001- Primarily males aged 18-22 using CBT or REBT
Salvation Army - 2002-2003 - Pregnant and parenting teens in inner city Syracuse, NY
Morrisville State College- 2005- Graduate Intern in Counseling Center
Northern Virginia Community College- 2007- Assisting youth transitioning from high school to college
New River League of Therapists- 2008-2011- Individual counseling for parents, play therapy for children
Minnick Education Center - 2011-2012- Counseling in school for troubled youth - K-12
New River Valley Community Services Board- 2012-2015- Non-directive play therapy for children with trauma and ASD.
Goochland-Powhatan Community Services Board- 2016- Counseling for adults primarily using MI and brief therapy
Northwestern Community Services Board- 2018-2019- Counseling for adults primarily using brief therapy, MI, CBT, or modified DBT.
Training Facilitator
Throughout my career I have had the honor of facilitating group trainings. Often this effort has been rewarding in many ways, including gaining additional training and developing community relationships.
Specifically, I have facilitated the following group trainings:
CIT officer training on the topic of juveniles in crisis for Northwestern Community Services Board, 2019.
Meditation Techniques, Festival Workshop, 2019.
Therapeutic Options Trainer for Goochland Powhatan Community Services Board, 2016.
Parenting Together Separately Instructor for Virginia Courts 2010-2011.
Freshmen Orientation for Northern Virginia Community College, 2007.
Adjunct Professor, Drugs and Society class, Morrisville State College, 2006.
Peer Educator Training, Morrisville State College, 2004.
Anger management, NC DOC, 2000-2001.
Listening Skills, Big Brothers Big Sisters, monthly 1999-2000.
Family Therapy
From 2008-2011 I worked providing Intensive In-home family therapy primarily using the structural family therapy technique, and also behavioral therapy strategies with the New River League of Therapists.
Then from 2012-2014 I worked with children and teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder or combined ID/DD/MH, and their families with New River Community Services Board. This rewarding work also incorporated family therapy and behavioral therapy techniques.
Crisis Services Therapist
From 2013 through 2020 I worked as a crisis or emergency services therapist. This involves working with people of all ages when they are experiencing a mental health crisis. I have provided crisis assessments, short term crisis counseling, crisis stabilization counseling, and assisted with community referrals and transitions. During this time I had significant ongoing training in managing crisis situations and helping people move out of a crisis state back into a calmer, more centered frame of mind.