Laura O'Connor

 

Psy.D., BCBA, LMFT

I am passionate about helping individuals across the lifespan realize their true potentials and discover new ways to heal, grow, and enrich their lives. I meld neuroscience with a holistic, client-centered approach that emphasizes how each person's mind, body, and relationships interact to shape - and reshape - who they are.

I provide individualized assessments for children, teens, and adults facing a wide range of neurocognitive, academic, social, and emotional challenges. I believe that psychological evaluations can play an integral role in deepening our self-awareness while illuminating a path to greater balance and optimal functioning. In my work, I use both clinical interviewing and psychometric testing to gain a comprehensive understanding of each individual. I consider all aspects of the person – from their biology and cognitive processes to their mood, relationships, and cultural influences – to develop a detailed action plan based on their strengths and current difficulties. My approach is guided by the optimism of neuroplasticity, the brain’s inherent healing process that equips us all for continued recovery and change, regardless of age or circumstance.

I also have limited availability for therapy. My goal is to help my clients explore the interconnecting influences on their well-being and to overcome whatever pain, stress, or confusion may be keeping them from becoming their preferred selves. I understand how it can take tremendous courage to look inward, let go of old patterns, and commit to both self-acceptance and lasting change. Therefore, I strive to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where clients can feel safe to be vulnerable and to explore even the thorniest corners of their personal experience.

It was my own experience with therapy that inspired me to pursue a path in psychology. As the child of Hungarian war refugees, I was taught from a very early age to buck up, bite my tongue, and excel at all costs. By high school, I was anxious and depressed, burdened by years of family secrets, suppressed emotions, and chronic self-doubt. Only after seeking therapy in my mid-20’s was I able to unpack the effects of familial trauma, develop self-compassion, and claim a new sense of well-being and purpose. I knew then that I wanted a profession where I could “pay it forward” by using what I had learned to support and empower others.

Outside of work, I am passionate about traveling to far-flung places and, in the coming years, hope to see as much of this big blue marble as I possibly can. I also enjoy reading, meditation, movies, live music, urban folklore, brain games, rescuing abandoned houseplants, and spending time with my loved ones, including my spouse and feline fur-baby. A California native, I moved to Portland in 2021 and am now proud to call the Pacific Northwest my home.

I assist clients who are experiencing a range of presenting concerns, including: diagnostic clarification, mood and anxiety disorders, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), memory and executive functioning, intellectual disabilities and learning differences, high-functioning Autism and other forms of neurodivergence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, emotional dysregulation, conduct-related disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, phobias, dual diagnosis, couples therapy, intimacy and relationship issues, attachment issues, self-esteem and identity issues, life transitions.

AREAS OF FOCUS

WHO I WORK WITH: Adults, Children, Teens, Couples

While I work with a wide range of people and presenting problems, some of my most common topics of focus include:

FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

  • Diagnostic Clarification

  • Mood and Anxiety Disorders

  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

  • Memory and Executive Functioning

  • Intellectual Disabilities and Learning Differences

  • High-Functioning Autism and Other Forms of Neurodivergence

  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Trauma

  • Emotional Dysregulation

  • Conduct-Related Disorders

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

  • Psychosis

  • Phobias

  • Dual Diagnosis

FOR THERAPY

  • Couples Therapy

  • Intimacy and Relationship Issues

  • Attachment Issues

  • Self-Esteem and Identity Issues

  • Life Transitions

APPROACH

My approach to client care is relational, exploratory, playful, and pragmatic. I bring curiosity and compassion to my work and strive to support my clients’ connection to their own wisdom and truth. As an integrative psychologist, I draw from different schools of research and theory, incorporating aspects of neurobiology, attachment theory, cognitive-behavioral therapy, postmodernism, and somatic awareness.

For evaluations, I combine standardized, norm-referenced assessment tools with an individualized approach and strengths-based perspective. Each assessment is followed by a feedback session during which I explain the test findings, answer questions, and provide recommendations and resources.

Professional Background

Over the past 20 years, I have worked with individuals and families in a variety of hospital, clinic, school, and private-practice settings. I began my career as a therapist striving to bring stability and emotional wellness to at-risk youth in the Los Angeles area. I later became board certified in behavior analysis, expanding my scope of competence to include clients with learning differences, developmental delays, autism spectrum conditions, and other forms of neurodivergence. I completed my postdoctoral training as an assessment fellow at the Reiss-Davis Child Study Center, where I conducted psychoeducational evaluations with children and adolescents, and as a psychological assistant as the Pasadena Rehabilitation Institute, where I provided neurocognitive testing to adults and seniors. Prior to this, I completed a one-year externship in neuropsychology with the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health and a one-year predoctoral internship in substance addiction at Tarzana Treatment Centers.

Education Credentials

  • Psy.D., Applied Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

  • M.A., Clinical Psychology, Antioch University

  • Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB 1-11-9460)

I am a Licensed Psychologist in the states of Oregon (OR 3371) and California (CA 29491). I am also a California-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC 44226). In addition to my credentials above, I hold an M.A. in Print Journalism from the University of Southern California and a B.A. in English from UCLA.

 
Therapy, Psychological Assessments, AssessmentsDani ChambersInsight Northwest CounselingTelehealth, Portland, Anxiety, ADHD, Memory, Autism, Neurodivergence, PTSD, OCD, Psychosis, Phobias, Dual Diagnosis, Couples, Relationship Issues, Attachment Issues, Self-Esteem, Life Transitions, Eugene, Therapy, Assessments