Laura Van Wyk Psychotherapy, LCSW

Not Taking New Clients

Laura Van Wyk is a therapist who takes an integrative approach towards treating her clients. She believes that no two clients are the same and she approaches treatment in a customized way that focuses on working collaboratively with the client to reach the goals they have identified for themselves. Laura received her Master of Social Work from New York University.

Specialties

Life Transitions
General relationship challenges (family, friends, co-workers)
Sex and intimacy
Marriage and Partnerships
Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Pay with insurance

UnitedHealthcare
Oxford Health Plans
Cigna
Aetna
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
including BlueCard Network access

Have coverage through another Blue Cross Blue Shield plan? You may be eligible to see this provider if you have BlueCard Network access. Check if this applies to your plan
UMR
Oscar
UHC Student Resources
Harvard Pilgrim

Pay with a program

Optum Live & Work Well (EAP)

Pay out-of-pocket

$ $ $ $ $

$140-200
Sliding scale

A sliding scale is a range of out of pocket fees that providers accept based on financial need.

Locations

Offers virtual sessions

Licensed in

New York

“I believe in the ethos of “helping others help themselves”; as a therapist, this is still my greatest strength as well as the cornerstone that has shaped my practice today.”

What was your path to becoming a therapist?

While growing up, I was always drawn to helping others. As I got older, I realized that my greatest strength in doing this was simply my ability to listen. Becoming a therapist is a second career for me; for the first sixteen years of my professional life, I worked in international relations. While this was an exciting career, I knew that it wasn’t my passion. When I decided to transition to my second career as a therapist, I knew that I wanted to focus on helping others achieve the personal goals they had set forth for themselves. I believe in the ethos of “helping others help themselves”; as a therapist, this is still my greatest strength as well as the cornerstone that has shaped my practice today.

What should someone know about working with you?

Every client that I meet is an individual with their own set of treatment goals, challenges that they wish to address, and strengths that they possess. My approach to working with my clients is to always consider these individual factors during their treatment course. I offer an integrative approach to various types of therapies that are uniquely mixed together to assist each client in meeting them where they are as well as helping them build on their strengths and effectively work towards their treatment goals. I often find that giving assignments between sessions is a good bridge to keep the treatment on track. At this time, my practice is entirely remote-based through teletherapy.

What do you do to continue learning and building competencies as a provider?

As with any profession, the learning process is never-ending; in my opinion, this is a strength. I consider myself a lifelong student and embrace any chance to continue building my skills and competencies and become the best therapist that I may be to my clients. I am currently in supervision with an experienced peer therapist where we continually review my cases and discuss how my treatment can improve, take on a different perspective, and evolve. In addition, I attend my own personal therapy to continue to work on myself and grow as a person. Finally, I regularly attend trainings on various topics in the field to expand my core competencies.

How do your own core values shape your approach to therapy?

I strongly believe that therapy is a client-driven endeavor; my approach is to assist the client in achieving their self-identified treatment goals and to never impose my own agenda on them. In addition, I believe that therapy is a two-way investment; we are taught early on in social work school that we “should never be working harder than the client in treatment.” I believe that clients who are equally as motivated, dedicated, and willing to put in the hard work as I am towards change in their lives will gain the most out of their therapeutic experience. I am here to walk alongside them in their therapeutic journey.

“I offer an integrative approach to various types of therapies that are uniquely mixed together to assist each client in meeting them where they are as well as helping them build on their strengths and effectively work towards their treatment goals.”