Working With Laura

"Call Laura. Call her because she listens, listens in a way you've never felt listened to before, listens in a way that draws out things you weren't sure you would say aloud to anyone or even whisper to yourself. As Laura listens, you'll find yourself listening - to what you say and what you don't - in a way you haven't before, listening, suddenly, to what happens in your life.

Laura is unconditional acceptance and refreshingly direct insight. She is the questions you're aching to ask. I know no better or safer place to finally say everything you need to, out loud, and to begin, at your own pace, to walk forward again."
~Erin

In times of self-doubt and personal upheaval we can become confused about where to focus our energies and how to think about, and through, our predicaments. Tackling the wrong problem can lead to second guessing, low self-confidence and failure to make effective, lasting changes.

Having a trusted confidante and mentor who can help you through times of uncertainty and confusion can be enormously beneficial. My 25 years of experience in psychology and insight-oriented coaching allow me to to bring an educated and objective perpective along with a compassionate and non-judgmental ear to our relationship. As a result, you can share what you might hestitate to say to family, colleagues and friends who may have investments in how you proceed with your life. Together, we'll work from the inside out, making sure the right questions are being asked so your external solutions are appropriate to your internal needs. I don't expect you to make the decision to work with me purely on the basis of a website, however, so I do offer complimentary consultations.

“Therapy is largely about reconciling the past. Coaching is oriented toward creating the future. Laura knows that people often need to build a bridge between the two. Working with her is about NOW.”
~Peter

During the introductory call, my goal is to get a clear overview of your life, the issues you would like to work through and any factors that might have an impact on your ability to move forward. I'll help you determine whether bringing me into your life makes sense for you and how we might best work together. Expect to receive some coaching right in the first call because I will want to share resources and suggestions when I see opportunities to help. You'll come away from our hour with a clear sense of my style while I share with you my understanding of your current situation so you can determine whether I am on the mark or not. You will have the opportunity to ask me questions as well. At the conclusion of our call, you can decide right then if you are ready to begin or you can mull it over and digest the conversation before commiting to work with me. I will not place any pressure on you to hire me. The last thing you need is pressure to engage in work this significant. Support and direction are only effective when they arise in a mutually respectful and trusting relationship.

I have session hours available from 9 am to 8 pm CST (Chicago time), M-W. Once we confirm a time for your initial appointment, I will send you some prep work so you can give me any background you would like to share in advance so we can get the most out of our time together. The pre-questions are quite meaty and many individuals report they begin to feel energized, focused and "coached" even before we speak, once they fill them out.

Please e-mail me or call 630-562-1877 to set up a complimentary hour-long phone session.

Service Options:

Phone-based sessions: You can choose between 1, 3 or 6 session packages to be scheduled as your needs dictate. You may schedule up to 3 sessions in any given month or you can spread your sessions out over a longer period of time if needed. The packages rates are as follows:

Single session: $125
Package of 3 sessions: $300
Package of 6 sessions: $450 ($75/session)
Package of 12 sessions $840 ($70/session)

Would you like to get 6 coaching sessions for $50
AND do a very good deed for someone?
Here's how.

Regardless of the coaching package you choose, your sessions are paid in advance and are available to use as needed. There is no expiration date for your sessions (outside of my untimely demise). I do not offer refunds for unused sessions but you can transfer them (i.e. on occassion a client's family member may want to have a session). Once your sessions have been used, you are free to purchase more as needed according to the same rate structure.

In-Person Intensive (available within a 2 hr radius from Chicago)

There may be times when you need more than a phone conversation. Maybe your home or work environment has gotten to be overwhelming and you need someone to work side by side with you to clear the space. (I love cleaning and organizing and am not easily overwhelmed.) Maybe you have a huge project that you have been procrastinating on that desperately needs attention. Maybe you crave an entire afternoon to talk, have a good cry and long walk (not necessarily in that order) without having to watch a clock while you are at it. I understand this and will happily work with you to find a time to do that.

I am available for a partial or full day of in-person intensives either at your workplace or in your home, depending on the issues we are addressing. Rates for person home-based intensive coaching are $50/hr plus a $50 travel charge during the week or $100/hr with no additional travel charge on the weekends. Rates for coming to your place of business are $100/hr weekday plus a $50 travel charge during the week, $150/hr weekend, no additional charge for travel. This is work that can help you rebuild your life from the ground up…hands on support, fresh start, blank page. How many intensives we schedule is up to you and what our mutual schedules will allow.

Whether you work with me over the phone or via in-person intensives, I will send you a very comprehensive workbook to help you take stock of your life and set the first level of goals for us to work on. I'll also give you some additional questions beyond those which you filled out for the introductory session. Before each session I will have you fill out a prep form which will cue you to look at your progress, your goals, where you are stuck and where you would most like to focus during our calls. Given that this is a collaborative relationship, I will also have ideas for areas to focus and will help guide you if you feel scattered or overwhelmed at any point.

Working with me entails no long term obligations. As long as we both agree that my being in your life is getting you further than you would get on your own, we'll keep going. I'll give you resources as we go, "homework" as needed and will be available for e-mail contact and shorter calls as needed between our formally scheduled sessions. And, of course, my blog is a further resource inspired by the needs of my clients so you can dive in there to your hearts content whenever you feel the need for a little stoking or want to find additional resources for yourself.

Any other questions? Jot them down for your intro call or e-mail me to discuss.

Working with me as a dedicated confidante and mentor can help you breathe vitality into your life in a way that reading and thinking alone will not do. Deep conversation in which you can safely discuss your concerns can be transformative. Your voice is important. Saying what is true for you outloud to someone who will hear and understand you is a critical component of finding the way out of confusion.

Laura Young
(630) 562-1877 (Chicago area)
Laura@nosafedistance.com

If it scares you, move in close.

~Jon Kabat Zinn

Learn to lean into the sharp parts.

~Pema Chodron