She/Her
About Laura Rathsmill, LCSW, M.Ed.
I work with individuals and couples seeking sex therapy, relationship therapy, and trauma reprocessing therapy. If you’re ready to take the leap from simply analyzing your issues to actually transforming in session through experiential therapies like EMDR, parts work (Internal Family Systems, Ego State Theory) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), I might be a fit for you. With a master’s in human sexuality, I provide a judgment-free space for education and exploration of sexuality, asexuality, dysfunction, kink/BDSM, shame, ethical nonmonogamy, and desire/arousal (or lack thereof).
Before I became a therapist, my main hobby was sketch comedy. Even though I’m trained in modalities that can be heavy and intense, I often find myself joking and laughing with clients. My ‘therapist persona’ is virtually identical to my normal personality — I’m casual, playful, frank and empathetic. I’m here to confront your demons with you, but expect room for levity along the way.
What You Can Expect in Individual Therapy
I specialize in helping folks with sexual trauma, relational trauma, and childhood trauma. Attachment insecurity, depression, perfectionism, social anxiety, as well as the joys and miseries of love and dating are other topics I often tackle with my clients. Even if you don’t have PTSD, I often use EMDR and parts work, in addition to traditional talk therapy, to help untangle you from beliefs that are holding you back, such as that you’re unlovable, undesirable, inadequate, too much, too weird, not good enough, or that you can’t trust others.
What You Can Expect in Couples Therapy
I love working with couples who have sexual struggles, communication issues, intense conflict, feelings of disconnection, and lack of passion. You might also find me helpful if you’re navigating kink, nonmonogamy, or polyamory and want someone who gets it. I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an evidenced-based form of couples therapy, to help couples overcome their emotional and sexual cycles of conflict and disconnection. EFT is focused on the attachment bond and can feel more intense than typical insight-based therapy, so couples should expect to try something new and vulnerable. This modality will challenge you, but the benefits can be transformative.
Specializations
- Sex Therapy
- Couples Therapy
- Trauma, PTSD, CPTSD and Dissociation
- Communication Issues
- Infidelity, Affairs, and Betrayals
- Kink/BDSM
- Anxious/Avoidant Attachment
- Confidence
- Anxiety/Depression
- Dating
- Gender and Sexual Identity
- Polyamory/Nonmonogamy
Modalities
- EMDR
- Parts Work (IFS and Ego State Theory)
- Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
Populations
- High Conflict Couples
- ENM, Polyamorous, Lifestyle, and Kinky Folks
- LGBTQ+
- Trauma Survivors
- Folks Who Find Themselves Unlucky in Love
- Artists and Activists
- Overachievers and Perfectionists
- Folks with ADHD
Take the First Step - We’ll Help with the Rest.
You Don’t Have to Search Alone.
We’ll help you find the therapist who fits. The first step is to fill out the new client inquiry form and we will get you connected! Want to contact a specific therapist? Simply choose their name in the drop-down menu and they will get your inquiry.
