Northwood Spotlight: Laura Falsgraf
School Counselor

 

My role at Northwood is to be a support to both students and teachers by teaching conflict resolution skills, emotion regulation, and mindfulness, and to be an individual and group counselor to students and families in need. I lead weekly mindfulness lessons, teach Kelso's Choice, and support teachers with the Second Step curriculum. These are our Social Emotional Learning programs at Northwood.

 

Additionally, I work with teachers to implement effective strategies in working with students who are dealing with a multitude of social or emotional issues. Some issues might include supporting a student who experiences significant anxiety, supporting students who are having difficulties with social connections, or difficulties regulating intense emotions, or a student who may have had some acute childhood experiences (ACES), which may include trauma. I work with the Special Education team and the Student Study Team and work collaboratively to solve problems and meet children's needs on a daily basis. 

 

 

 

I love working in the schools and I have been a MI Youth and Family Services counselor for the past 13 1/2 years. I worked at West Mercer for 11 years and have been at Northwood since we opened 2 1/2 years ago. Prior to working in the schools I worked as an outpatient mental health therapist since graduating from LIOS/Bastyr University in 1996. I was born and raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, a small village outside of the Cleveland area. My undergraduate degree is from Purdue University and I have an Interior Design degree of all things (I went from one kind of interior to another). 

 

Family and the allure of the mountains and Sound brought me out to the West Coast. I have lived in Seattle since 1992. I met my husband at a TILTH harvest festival, and we have 2 children, 7 year old daughter and 3 year old son. Life is busy to say the least.