Meet Laurel

SERVING AGES 3+ FOR INDIVIDUAL & FAMILY THERAPY, PARENT CONSULTATIONS, AND EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED GROUPS

LAUREL TOBIAS, MSW, LCSW

Laurel is a passionate therapist who has been providing services to children, adolescents, and families in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. since 2019. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from North Carolina State University and her Master’s in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Laurel has worked with children and families in a variety of settings, including an integrated care clinic, community agency, and in private practice. She specializes in supporting kiddos with a variety of mental health needs: ADHD, Anxiety disorders, Depression, Attachment injuries, Trauma, adjustment issues, social skill concerns, behavioral challenges, and complex illnesses and healthcare needs. She is dedicated to creating a safe, supportive space for children and their caregivers and is committed to helping families foster emotional resilience and stronger connections.

My style

Laurel specializes in treatment of children ages 4-13 as well as adolescents and provides coaching and support to parents/caregivers. She uses a client- centered approach and tailors treatment to fit the needs of the kiddo or family. Primarily, Laurel leans Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Expressive Arts, Mindfulness, and directive play therapy techniques such as art, sand tray, and game play to shape the way she interacts with young clients. She incorporates Filial Therapy for relationship enhancement between caregivers and kiddos, parent coaching and processing techniques from Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) and anxiety management strategies and treatment from Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). She enjoys being creative with her clients and encourages them to explore many different methods of self expression. Laurel strives to keep the therapy space authentic, goal-oriented, and non-judgemental in order to promote safety and personal growth. 

In addition to work, Laurel spends time doing yoga, traveling, eating, and pushing her cats off of her computer when they rudely try to interrupt Zoom sessions.

Specialties & Certifications

  • Child Centered Play Therapy

  • Sandtray Therapy

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children & Adolescents

  • Trauma Focused CBT

  • Filial Therapy

  • Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions 

  • SPACE Expanded: Treatment for Arfid & Failure to Launch

  • Emotion Focused Family Therapy