Laura Struhl, Ph.D. - Laura Struhl, Ph.D.

Laura Struhl, PhD

Licensed Psychologist #PSY12173

5173 Waring Road #206
San Diego, CA 92120

Do any of these describe you?

I have to manage stress more effectively.
I have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
I want to grow as a person, but don’t know where to start.
I wish I could feel less depressed.
I am struggling with coming out to my family; at work; to myself.
I can’t seem to make my relationship(s) work.
I am often exhausted from taking care of everyone’s needs.
I need to cope and be more productive.
I want to have better self-esteem, be more confident and stop dwelling on mistakes.

My Practice

I have been providing psychotherapy and counseling for over 30 years, and am a Licensed Psychologist. Over this time, I have utilized an integration of cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and psychodynamic approaches. I also draw on principles of positive psychology and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

Anxiety

Depression

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Self-Esteem

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Insomnia

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Coming Out

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Lesbian and Gay Issues

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Relationship Issues

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Work Issues

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Lifestyle Balance

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Stress Management

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Personal Growth

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Coping Skills

About You

It may interest you to know that my practice consists of adults, either as individuals or couples. About one third of my practice has been heterosexual clients; two thirds of my clients have been lesbian or gay. I am comfortable working with many types of people, and am trained to assist you in creating the changes you desire in your life.

Whatever you are dealing with, I can best help you if you are willing to:

learn about yourself
work on containing destructive impulses
take good care of your physical self
look at yourself with honesty
express yourself, even when it’s tough
do homework consistently

Lesbian & Gay Issues

Addressing our community’s unique needs, as well as providing an affirmative place to attend to all areas of life:

Coming Out
Family Issues
Dealing with Social Pressures and Social Expectations
Rejection
Relationships
Pre-marital counseling
Couples Therapy

LGBTQI Resources (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex)

Insomnia

Many people suffer from sleep problems. About one third of adults have experienced insomnia, and about half of those who report insomnia endure it on a regular, long-term basis.

Sleeping problems which last one month or longer are called “chronic.” Chronic insomnia may affect a person nightly, or a few times per week. It can occur every week, or can be worse some weeks more than others. Some people have trouble falling asleep. Some experience difficulty staying asleep and/or awaken too early. Some people experience light, restless, poor quality sleep. You may have experienced one or a combination of these types of sleep disorders.

I have been trained in an insomnia treatment program that was developed and tested at Harvard Medical school. I will teach you how to enhance the sleep system in your brain, thereby helping you to set the stage for sleep to occur more easily. As a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach, we will focus on changing the thoughts and behaviors that are causing your insomnia. CBT has been found to be more effective than sleeping pills, and, in fact can be used to eliminate the use of sleeping pills. I will teach you skills that can help you obtain greater control over your sleep and body, breaking the cycle of insomnia and allowing for a more consistent better night’s sleep.

About me

As I work with individuals and couples, my goal is to provide a supportive, confidential, and respectful environment. Colleagues and clients have described me as down-to-earth, warm and genuine. My aim is to increase your personal effectiveness and resilience to adversity. I work collaboratively with you toward reducing anxiety/stress, shyness, sadness and depression, as well as improving relationships, increasing your self-esteem, self-acceptance and resolving conflict.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on how your thoughts about yourself, others, and the world affect the way you feel and behave. Humanistic, psychodynamic, and positive psychology approaches involve developing your ability to better understand, take care of, and appreciate yourself as an individual, with your unique voice and goals. Mindfulness practice can help you reconnect non-judgmentally to the present moment, rather than focus on the pain of the past or the worry about the future. Increased overall happiness is often the result of these modalities.

My approach with you will depend on your specific needs. I have learned that people seeking counseling and psychotherapy are often looking for specific skill sets they may be lacking. Developing such skill sets to meet your specific needs is my specialty.

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Education

1991 California Psychologist License: #PSY 12173
1989 PhD in Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, CA
1986 MA in Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, CA
1984 BA in Psychology, California State University, Northridge, CA

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Professional Affiliations

I am a member of the following associations. Please visit their websites for further information about research and resources related to their specialty topics. Many of them will also send you free information on specific topics if you call and ask.

American Psychological Association (APA)
California Psychological Association (CPA)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
San Diego Psychological Association (SDPA)
Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues (APA Div. 44 )

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Honors

Doctoral Dissertation Defense with Honors
Bachelor of Arts Degree, Summa Cum Laude

Insurance

If you have insurance benefits and wish to use them, please call the phone number on your insurance card and give them my last name so that they can verify my status as a provider for your plan. In this same telephone call to your insurance company, you may want to obtain the following information:

an authorization number for therapy
your co-payment (the amount you pay) per session
the number of sessions you are allowed per year
your deductible (the amount you may have to pay out of pocket before they begin to pay)

Each insurance company offers a variety of plans. Co-payment amounts, deductibles and limits can vary from one plan to another. Feel free to contact me with questions related to insurance.

If you wish to use your insurance benefits, rather than pay out of pocket, there are a few things you may want to know. The insurance company will require health care providers like myself to provide information in exchange for obtaining payment, thereby limiting your privacy. While insurance plans vary in information requiring disclosure, this information can include: your specific diagnosis, dates of service, symptoms, personal history, and treatment issues. They may also require my treatment plan and rationale, as well as information about your progress.

Forms

If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies and procedures or regarding our potential interactions on the Internet, please bring them to my attention so that we can discuss them.