Featured Alumna - January 2022

In high school, I came off as the quiet, reserved, and awkward kid, which is ironic because my nickname in college ended up being “crazy Laura.” Like many others, I struggled to find where I fit in during high school, but one place I ended up feeling like I really belonged was in band. I was awful at playing the flute and honestly didn’t care about improving, which I am sure the band director loved. I would even let my friends who weren’t in the band play my instrument for me during pep band games until the director noticed and called me out. Thankfully despite my loss of motivation, I found a group of friends in the band that I could be myself around, and my crazy side found its way out. There was such a sense of family within the band, and it was a place of safety during a very formative time of my life. 

 

After graduation, I really found confidence in who I was and discovered my passion for the counseling field. I thrived on having meaningful conversations and coming alongside others when they were struggling. I was also passionate about my faith and knew I needed to find a way to use my strengths to help spread the hope and healing found in Christ. After graduating, getting my license, and working as a case manager at a dialysis center for a few years, I finally ended up at Chicago Christian Counseling Center in Orland Park, IL, which was, and still is, my dream job. I work with a variety of clients with different mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, addiction, grief, postpartum issues, etc. My favorite part about the job is knowing that someday my clients are going to look back and remember me as one of the people who walked with them through some of the darkest days of their lives. Do you know how meaningful that feels? I truly feel blessed with the opportunity to directly impact the lives of others, walk with them through mental health issues, and help them find true healing. I have been able to share the love and grace of Christ throughout so many of my counseling sessions. I have been married for 10 years, and have three awesome and spunky kids, two of them being 2-year-old twins. As expected, juggling a career and kids isn't easy. Nevertheless, working in a career where that is making a direct impact on the lives of others has made this transition so much easier. 

 

The way my time at Chicago Christian High School impacted me the most is how prepared I felt for college after leaving high school. The hardworking teachers who truly took the time to invest in me as a student made a direct impact on the confidence I felt transitioning into college. It was easy to tell that the teachers at CCHS were there for far more than a paycheck. The teachers took the time to listen when I was struggling, were quick to give extra time out of their day to make sure I understood the material, and genuinely cared. High school truly prepared me academically for college, and I owe so much of the skills and confidence I needed to get to where I am today to the wonderful CCHS teachers and their direct investment in my education.