Laura Barnard Crosskey, Ph.D., M.Div.

I graduated from Duke with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a Masters in Divinity. Throughout my training and professional career, I have focused on coming alongside clients whose lives have been impacted by clinical concerns like depression or anxiety, life events such as trauma or diagnosis with chronic illness, and those who want to harness their strengths and enhance their life. 

I would characterize my approach as compassionate, curious, and collaborative. Many clients at some point in their work with me disclose something that they say they haven't processed with anyone else.  These statements speak to a relationship of trust, respect, and caring.  Together we examine the way that self-judgments and fear of judgments from others have contributed to not being ready or able to process aspects of your experience.  Part of our work together is to create a safe place for you to articulate both where you are at currently and where you want to be.  My research on shame and self-compassion guides my approach and flows from my values and commitment to working to understand not judge.

Overall, in my work with clients it is important to me to compassionately help people explore and mindfully live into their own values.  

I've worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practice, Veteran's Affairs medical centers, University medical centers, and research clinics.  I've worked in inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings.  Across these settings I've gained experience in treatments that are supported by the latest research.   

What makes me distinct?  "Are you a Christian Counselor?"

I understand that, for some, the path of personal growth will include the integration of their personal faith, while for others it may not; that individual choice will always be respected.

For many people, a faith that is or has been centrally important in their life does not exist independently of the concern that brings them into counseling.  Many clients wrestle with questions such as, "How and why would a sovereign and loving God allow me to suffer with depression?"  "Why isn't my faith enough to make me happy?" and "I'm a religious leader or preparing to be one, what do I do with this shame, depression/anxiety, and my doubts?"  I treasure the opportunities to engage these questions and explore them with clients.  

I have a particular research and clinical interest in burnout in clergy and other helping professionals.  I also specialize in working with divinity students, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) students and residents, and candidates for ordination.  I have served as a consultant to churches and missionary organizations.  Let me put these skills to work for you!  Find out more here.

I personally am United Methodist, and I'm ordained as a Deacon (provisional). 
I have also received chaplaincy (CPE) training, which I completed with VITAS Home Hospice. 

As part of my training I've done research that I've published.  Interested? Here are the titles with links to the full text!

--Role Transgressions, Shame, and Guilt Among Clergy
--Self-Compassion: Conceptualizations, Correlates, & Interventions
--The Relationship of Clergy Burnout to Self-Compassion and Other Personality Dimensions
--The Relationship of Self-Compassion with Perfectionistic Self-Presentation, Perceived Forgiveness, and Perceived Social Support in an Undergraduate Christian Community
--Good computing
--Good computing: a pedagogically focused model of virtue in the practice of computing (part 2)

You'll find your own way of speaking about who I am and the work we do together!
Contact me to find out for yourself what our work would look like.
I look forward to answering your specific questions.