Laura Baker MA, LPC, NCC, CPCS
Exhale Counseling
Exhale Counseling and Consulting Services
www.exhalecounselingsvcs.com
laura@exhalecounselingsvcs.com
770 892 6287
Co-Founder of Exhale Counseling (07.07.2020)
I am trained in EMDR

I am a compassionate therapist committed to guiding AAPI and BIPOC women through the challenges rooted in cultural values, family conflicts, anxiety, depression, exploring intersectionality, and intergenerational trauma. As a South Asian American, I bring a culturally sensitive approach that fosters a connection with my clients. As a therapist, I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to support individuals in processing and overcoming the impact of traumatic experiences. Trauma is not always the byproduct of significant life altering events but can occur from small events like chronic stress, bullying, discrimination, dysfunctional family dynamics, microaggression, and constant exposure to challenging situations. EMDR involves a structured approach, helping clients identify and reframe/reprocess negative beliefs and emotions associated with past traumas. I also utilize therapeutic frameworks as Humanistic Person-Centered approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Strengths Based approach.

Jason is a National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia. He has a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Richmont Graduate University.

Jason desires to engage individuals, couples, and families in a way that inspires healing, growth, and renewal. Through a safe and secure therapeutic relationship, he endeavors to care for his clients by acknowledging you as a person of infinite value and worth and addressing you in the deepest and most profound aspects of your life. Within this secure relationship, life experiences are processed in a manner that leads to freedom from past wounds and empowers for the future.

Sarah considers her work in therapy to be a privilege with every client. She understands taking brave steps towards life-healing change is sacred work that should be met with detailed, compassionate care. Sarah strives to provide a safe environment for clients to build on their existing skills and address any areas of concerns they may have while moving towards transformation and freedom.

Sarah has served clients in a broad span of clinical and therapeutic settings. Her experience ranges from serving the mental health needs of the homeless population of Atlanta, to psychiatric hospital experience, therapeutic residential treatment for teens, and private practice. Sarah integrates a variety of therapeutic techniques to help clients identify and heal the deep heart wounds that can influence our core beliefs and impact our actions. The integration of faith in counseling is available upon request.

I have been a professional counselor in Private Practice for 11 years in Fayette County Ga. I love working with adults to help them become more self aware with self efficacy to navigate life’s transitions and difficulties. This is journey we take together. Fell free to call with any questions about the counseling process

Emily's passion for mental health began when she was just a child who saw how much counseling helped those in her family. Since then, her passion has only grown for helping others respond to life and its challenges. Emily believes in the importance of building a strong relationship with her clients, understanding how their identities impact their lives, and ensuring that she is always learning and growing as a person and counselor.

From her experiences in an on-campus clinic and a hospital support center, Emily has developed an approach to counseling that combines Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Person Centered Therapy. While everyone has different therapeutic needs, Emily tends to draw mostly from these approaches. Emily's professional interests include grief and loss, anxiety, body image concerns, stress management, and life transitions.

I believe that creating a warm, safe, and respectful environment is pertinent to establishing a healthy therapeutic relationship with my clients and helping them to achieve their therapy goals. I strongly believe that therapy is a collaborative process between myself and my clients with the overarching goals of improving relationships, emotional regulation, self-understanding, adjustment, and life satisfaction.

I work with children, adolescents, and adult clients through the use of individual, couples, and family therapy. I frequently incorporate the use of the Brainspotting method to help clients of various ages process through a wide range of highly stressful, activating and traumatic experiences that prevent them from fully engaging in aspects of their life. I also have been trained in Collaborative Practice; information regarding this approach to divorce can be found at www.CollabAtlanta.com.

For my adult clients, therapeutic issues typically focus on depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationship concerns, self-esteem and self-worth, communication difficulties, marital/relationship discord, and life transitions. Therapy focuses on identifying a client’s own strengths and challenges, empowering him/her to cope more effectively with life’s struggles, and improving relationships and overall functioning through insight, self-awareness, and healthy decision-making skills and coping resources.

With my children (ages 5 and older) and adolescent clients, common issues include divorce, depression, anxiety, OCD, mood dysregulation, behavioral difficulties, ADHD, family conflict, school performance issues, and social difficulties, such as peer conflict, bullying, and poor social skills in general. I believe that an important component in working with children and adolescents is the inclusion of the family, as I believe that making changes within the family system is the foundation to therapeutic progress. Family therapy typically centers on improving family communication and relationships, assisting parents in coping with their child’s emotional or behavioral issues at home, and building healthy boundaries, expectations, and family roles.

In addition to therapy, I am experienced in conducting psychological and psychoeducational evaluations. Such evaluations are a tool for identifying a client’s cognitive and academic skills, assessing for learning disabilities and developmental delays, and obtaining information regarding a client’s mental health. Evaluations can yield a wealth of information to help with treatment and educational planning and the identification of appropriate interventions.

I received my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and my M.Ed. in School Counseling from The University of Georgia. Prior to earning my doctorate, I worked as an elementary school counselor. I have been in private practice in the Atlanta area since 2006. In addition to private practice, I have been an adjunct instructor at Georgia State University with the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services and served on the board of the Division of Women and Girls for the Georgia Psychological Association.

I look forward to meeting you and the opportunity to help you address the barriers or concerns that are interfering with your happiness and ability to live life to the fullest!

I have over 30 years experience teaching mindfulness, meditation and working in the Mental Health field. I feel a lot of compassion for those who struggle and specialize in working with religious trauma, PTSD, nightmares, disscciation, and depersonalization, excessive worries, anxiety and panic attacks. I never ask my clients to do something, i.e. use a method that I have not worked with myself. I strongly believe one must walk their talk and live in integrity to feel healthy. I have traveled and lived in many countries and I provide support for expats and people with intercultural adjustment difficulties related to the experience of living abroad.. My primary purpose for traveling in other countries was to study with various teachers about the nature of consciousness. I lived, for example, with a group of Indians studying indigenous medicine in the Amazon jungle of Columbia. I also traveled through India, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Mexico and Turkey studying the psychological teachings contained in the religious teachings, histories, sacred sites, and art of these cultures. I have studied and practiced Samatha and vipassana Meditation methods for over 30 years. I currently reside in Saigon, Vietnam.

I am a sport psychology fellow specializing in mental health concerns and performance optimization for athletes and individuals in high-stress occupations. I see children, teens, adults, individuals, couples, and run a therapy group. Although I specialize in sports/performance with athletes, I see all individuals who are struggling with depression, anxiety, panic, sexual health concerns, faith & life transitions, co-occurring medical concerns, ADHD, OCD, perfectionism, and other mental health concerns!