Stress just. won't. stop. and “work-life balance” seems like an impossible feat. Your stress has been building for FAR too long; you can't remember the last time you weren’t so overwhelmed or anxious. You can't stand how irritable you’ve become, especially around those you love. Your go-to de-stressors just aren't cutting it anymore - or it's a struggle to use them, and you’re growing tired of your own procrastination, rumination, and withdrawing from others. You want to be more present in your life & relationships. You want to feel like your old self again - or a new, calmer self - on a path of continued growth and success. You want more for yourself and are ready for change.

I can help by co-creating a brave & safe space and validating you - especially when it feels like no one understands. With Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), we can help you feel quick relief from prior traumas and distresses, eliminate triggers, and move forward feeling lighter and calmer. We'll rebuild coping skills for relief now & prevention later. I'll challenge you (with care), offer accountability, and use your strengths to help you meet your goals. Ideally, we'll also laugh together and connect as humans.

You're struggling now and contacting therapists only to then wait for responses is frustrating. Skip the waiting and take another step toward relief now by scheduling a brief phone consult directly on my website!

It’s important work to step into counseling as an individual or with your loved ones. I admire those who make this commitment to growth and well-being. I’m honored to come alongside clients, providing therapeutic space to be honest without judgment. I’m passionate about giving clients autonomy, providing clarity, and being open to their feedback. I believe therapy is a collaborative process where both client and therapist play important roles: the client bringing their holistic self, and the therapist empathizing, tracing patterns, providing curiosity and insight, and working together toward meeting goals and living out personal values.

I enjoy working with couples, families, individual men, women, and teens! I have experience working in non-profit outpatient counseling centers and addiction treatment centers in addition to private practice. I especially enjoy helping families affected by addiction, working with couples longing to get unstuck and to experience lasting connection, and empowering teens with space to process and skills to manage stressors. I’m also passionate about supporting individuals through transitions across the lifespan, and through personal and spiritual identity work.

I am Currently accepting clients in person and telehealth.

It is my goal to help people feeling anxious, sad, having difficulties with fertility or depressed. I want to help you find strength in order to help with symptoms and reach your goals.
I have worked extensively with those suffering from post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, families in foster care, infants and baby bonding. I have a passion to help families and individuals communicate their needs and increase positive communication.
If you need support in understanding your current symptoms, please know that I am here to help and support you. Please feel free to call or email for additional support. I look forward to hearing from you.

My formal education focused on psychology and clinical social work. My professional experiences have been in public schools, hospitals and outpatient clinics, the Military, international nonprofits, universities and various community settings. I currently have a private practice with offices in Napa, in addition to my virtual office, where I provide "teletherapy" to clients in both California and Texas.
​
My therapy training began in public schools with special education, K-12. I counseled children with mental health concerns and led life skills groups. I worked intensively with adolescents (and their caregivers) in alternative school programs burdened by emotional concerns.
​
I spent most of the next decade working in hospitals, both pediatric and adult, assessing and responding to a variety of issues including devastating diagnoses, chronic health conditions, end of life issues, infertility and pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and mental health crises. During this time, I taught and supervised students for the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Social Work. After ten years, I shifted out of the hospital setting to therapist lead of an integrated behavioral healthcare network where I helped build a program for providing mental health and case management to a pediatric and family medical practice serving 30,000 low income families.
​
An opportunity led me to England for two years, where I managed a prevention and education campaign related to new parent support and family violence prevention. I educated US Air Force members and families on topics such as stress and anger management, PTSD, resilience, healthy dating, couple's communication and parenting, while co-facilitating support groups on chronic medical conditions. During this time, I also worked with Airmen and families on managing stress before and after deployments and transitioning to civilian life after a military career.
​
After a brief return to the U.S. to study Spanish at the Defense Language Institute of Monterey, I moved to South America and worked for the U.S. Embassy while volunteering with a Chilean nonprofit. During this time, I researched advances in counseling and coaching methodology. Although I have a working knowledge of Spanish, I do not provide services in Spanish at this time.
​
In 2014, I relocated to Napa, pregnant again after experiencing pregnancy loss. After treating parents for postpartum depression and anxiety, I experienced it first-hand and became aware of a need for expanded maternal mental health support in my community. So I added services to my private practice that would address infertility, pregnancy and postpartum mental health support, Moxie Motherhood, and co-founded a pregnant and postpartum peer support program.
​​
For almost two decades, I have honed my clinical expertise from problem-focused to possibility-focused. I remain current on research and active in the professional dialogue of wellness, balancing my time between counseling, coaching, teaching, volunteering and parenting. Read more here.
​
I welcome the opportunity to support you.

Laura Baker MA, LPC, NCC, CPCS
Exhale Counseling
Exhale Counseling and Consulting Services
www.exhalecounselingsvcs.com
laura@exhalecounselingsvcs.com
770 892 6287
Co-Founder of Exhale Counseling (07.07.2020)
I am trained in EMDR

I have 10 years of experience working with individuals. I first started working at the school systems doing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) to kids struggling with different diagnosis. (More on ABA later!) I also worked at an agency working with high crisis behavior such as self-injury and high magnitude aggression for children 2 to 18 years old. Later on, I got to manage two Adult Family Homes for people with developmental disabilities (autism, down syndrome, etc). I got my masters at Gonzaga University and continue to grow my experience as an intern at Frontier Behavioral Health where I got to see clients with Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, anxiety, depression and more. I have seen and counseled many different people with different diagnosis and various challenges. I highly enjoy working with autistic adults as well as anybody going through any life transition.

Disclaimer: I am a neurodivergent affirmative therapist. I do not run under ABA practices and I am here to help talk about healing from any form of therapy that did not suit your unique needs.

Finding a therapist that you connect with is crucial to helping you get the results you are hoping for. You may consider personality, values, style of therapy, or the overall vibe in your search. People would describe therapy with Brooke as heart healing, honest, collaborative and connecting. Brooke is passionate about working along individuals and couples as they learn to live authentically, boldly, and joyfully. Her work helps clients to explore the wounds or trauma that may be holding them back from achieving their best self. Brooke may be a good fit for you if you find yourself wanting a therapist who will hold your perspective and offer a different one, if you want to be challenged to grow, or if you are looking to be more spiritually and emotionally connected to yourself and others.

Are there love, work, family, or personal circumstances that you would like to discuss? Are you having symptoms that are causing you distress or interfering with your daily life? Are there changes that you wish to make or life transitions you are trying to get through? Are you struggling in your relationship and needing to find new ways to communicate, a new perspective on your partners, or a better way to understand your partner?
I can help! I will help you get beyond whatever holds you back, help you manage and overcome any symptoms you might be having, assist you in negotiation challenges in your relationships and work with you towards the changes you wish to make.
My clients generally regard me as genuine, insightful, easy to talk to, and humorous. I provide treatment face to face, via phone and via internet. Areas of interest include depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, communication concerns, and building self esteem. I welcome those who feel they might be "a challenge"

Feeling anxious, stuck, or just in need of someone to talk to? You’re not alone. Deciding to find a counselor is an amazing and powerful first step. Let me help you with the rest. Each session with me is specific to who you are and what you need. I find joy in helping my clients discover who they are and achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

Hello!
I'm Max and I am here to help! I enjoy working with people from all walks of life and helping them along their life's journey. I work with most age groups including couples and parents. The concerns I have experience working with include anxiety, depression, ADHD, high functioning Autism, grief, self-harm, suicide, communication and interpersonal skills, anger management, addictions, self-esteem, bullying, and career counseling. I am also trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and will be offering DBT skills groups for both teens and adults in 2023. If you or someone you know is struggling in any of the areas I've mentioned please don't hesitate to contact me. Take care!