Lori earned her Masters of Social work degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Lori is actively engaged in continuing education opportunities, clinically and spiritually, to provide comprehensive quality of care. She has 27 years of experience across the fields of mental health, foster care, adoption, and juvenile justice with diverse populations and cultures. This includes an emphasis on working with children, adolescents, and families who have been through general life challenges and traumatic life-altering experiences. Lori is experienced in treating trauma on all levels, disruptive behavior including Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, depression, psychosis, suicidality, and self-harm.

Lori is trained in various treatment modalities (CBT, DBT, Solution-focused, Motivational Interviewing, Reality Therapy, Narrative Therapy, etc.) equipping her to draw from multiple clinical resources for each unique client need. Lori is specifically trained in the use of a Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct (MATCH) that allows for targeted treatment strategies for those with complex diagnoses, and their caregivers. Lori also uses components of Neurosequential Model Therapeutics (NMT) that provide targeted assessments and self-regulation strategies to maximize control over disruptive symptoms, often resulting from the impact of trauma or chronic unstable mental health. Lori’s treatment approach uses active engagement through the use of therapeutic physical activities, art, cognitive writing, and mutual co-regulation to help the client experience their ability to control distress with the right tools.

Through her years of experience, Lori has found that often unsafe behaviors in youth or chronic distress in adults are underlying undiagnosed or minimized anxiety, depression, and trauma reactions. For this reason, Lori uses in-depth clinical assessments to uncover more targeted areas of treatment for clients that have a history of chronic mental health treatment with poor treatment outcomes. Lori also uses a variety of psychoeducation and Cognitive Behavior Techniques to help the client become more knowledgeable of their experiences and symptoms and in turn more informative and engaged in their treatment progress. Lori’s extensive experience in the assessment process and deep investment in finding solutions have equipped her in being able to create breakthroughs in circumstances that were previously thought to be beyond help and hope.

Lori believes that all are fearfully and wonderfully made at their core and circumstances do not define their value or potential. She strives to create a space where you are seen, heard, valued and empowered toward peace and restoration as God intended.

Lori was raised in Michigan and moved to North Carolina in 2010. Lori is married with a daughter that just started college and a son that is a high school senior. Her greatest joy is watching her children in their various activities and any opportunities for family time. Lori is actively involved in her church as a women’s Bible study leader and high school youth ministry leader.