Our team

As the owners of Confluence we are a husband and wife team with two children. We have spent the past twenty years together exploring, learning, teaching, consoling, celebrating, and growing. We want you to feel safe and connected in the therapeutic relationship. When we meet others who we feel have the same dedication and spirit they join our team. We are a small practice focused on quality relationships. With that in mind, we offer the opportunity to connect for a twenty minute video chat to meet us or any other member of our team if you are considering working with one of us.

Education & Prior Work Experience

Lauren is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling. Lauren has been working in the mental health field since 2005 in a variety of therapeutic roles. She worked with both adolescents and young adults at Evoke Entrada Wilderness Program in southern Utah for nine years. In 2014, Lauren decided to move her family to Bend, OR. While in Bend, Lauren has worked in private practice and as a parent specialist for a young adult residential program. Lauren was drawn back to wilderness working at Evoke Cascades with young adults at Evoke Cascades from 2017 to 2021. Lauren is now back working in outpatient therapy as well as working for Evoke as a Coach and Intensives Therapist.

Strengths

As someone committed to the practice of yoga and mindfulness in her personal life, Lauren maintains a mind-body wellness approach. This approach is rooted in the belief that the body is a powerful container that holds and manifests past experiences. Lauren’s approach is rooted in person-centered therapy and attachment theory. In addition, she uses a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy strategies, existential therapy, solution-focused approaches, and trauma work. 

Education and Prior Work Experience

Sean has a PhD in Counseling from Oregon State University, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, PACT trained couples therapist, and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. Sean spent a decade working in wilderness therapy with adolescents, young adults and families first as a field staff and then as a therapist and Assistant Clinical Director. Most recently he spent over six years overseeing the growth of a residential clinical program serving young adults and their families in his role as Clinical Director. Sean has previously been a Professor of Counseling at Prescott College, Montana State, and Oregon State and serves as a supervisor for counselors-in-training. 

Strengths

Sean has a unique ability to blend heartfelt compassion with direct and growth orientated messaging. He is perceptive and able to see past individual’s best intentioned defenses and symptoms to access the core wounding. He also is adept at utilizing the here-and-now opportunities for growth that occur in any interaction to allow clients to confront and alter their patterns in the moment. 

Interests

Sean enjoys all sorts of outdoor adventures but when forced to choose just one, grabs his mountain bike. He loves immersing himself in other cultures and trying all sorts of different types of foods. In addition, he enjoys working to practice moment by moment all that he teaches and shares with others in his interactions with his lovely wife and two children as they learn and grow together. 

Laura is a supportive and empathetic counselor who views therapy as the hero's journey, requiring insight, bravery, and self-compassion, even when it doesn’t feel like it – especially when it doesn’t feel like it!

Education and Prior Work Experience

Laura is a Professional Counselor Associate and earned her Master's in Counseling from OSU-Cascades. She has additional training in Emotional Focused and Attachment Therapy, Brainspotting, as a Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator, and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to joining our team, Laura served as a primary therapist for Deschutes Wilderness Therapy, working with traumatized adolescents, young adults, and their parents/family systems. In her previous career, Laura was a company member with Wild Space Dance Co. and taught creative movement, movement improvisation, and yoga within the Milwaukee Public School system. It was this creative, movement-based background that helped Laura into her trauma-informed understanding and the importance of bringing the body into treatment.

Strengths

Laura believes that trauma can create an experience of isolation, and so connection is the key to healing - with others, our family systems, ourselves, and our bodies. Laura fosters an authentic connection and by assisting clients in “feeling felt” a safe space is created. This allows our fears to be expressed, our struggles to be witnessed, and our own power to be realized. This is guided by Laura's deep understanding of the nervous system, developmental ages and stages, and other brain-based trauma responsive interventions that informs her practice. Laura believes that no family system or individual is beyond hope and looks forward to helping all of her clients connect.

Interests

Laura and her partner love spending time adventuring outdoors with their 2 big dogs and their energetic and curious daughter. Laura also loves to travel and explore, having lived abroad for a few years – inspiring her interest in culture, people and context.