Laura A. Thor, DMin, LCSW – Curriculum Vitae
Education
- Graduate Theological Foundation, Doctor of Ministry (DMin): Pastoral and Spiritual Psychotherapy, 2014.
- Melton Adult Mini-School, Denver, CO: 2-year curriculum in Jewish studies, completed 2009, and ‘graduate’ continuing education.
- University of Minnesota, Master of Social Work, 1988
- University of St. Catherine, Bachelor of Arts, Catholic Theology, 1981
Licensure
- LCSW: Colorado Licensed Clinical Social Worker 989689, since 1990
Affiliations & Distinctions
- Colorado Society for Clinical Social Work
- American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Fellow (now part of ACPE, Assn for Clinical Pastoral Education)
- Fund for Theological Education’s North American Ministerial Fellowship, 1981 Recipient
- Phi Beta Kappa, since 1981
- Spiritual Directors International, Member
- Former field supervisor to U. of Denver, MSW and PsyD students
- World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Member and
- GEI Certified (WPATH’s Global Education Initiative) as a gender therapist.
- Presenter on faith and marginalized transgender people of faith at various local, national and international conferences
Published Article Highlights
- Article, ‘The Heart of Atonement’ in ‘The Living Pulpit‘ April-June, 2007
- Article, ‘Living in the Image of God: Transgender People in Spiritual Direction, in Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction, December, 2013.
- Journal, ‘Nature and Grace: A Journal of Catholic Spirituality and Well-Being’ published quarterly from Fall 1996–Summer 1998: ‘On Being Seen, Known, and Loved: psychotherapy in service of soul’; ‘The Paradox of Intimacy: our fear of the shadow’; ‘Lenten Journeying: losing the ego, finding the indwelling Christ’; ‘Of Faith and Reality: dis-illusion and re-enchantment’
- Blogs: Thor’s Thoughts, Nature and Grace Journal
Continuing Education Highlights
- ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy “Bootcamp” Los Angeles, 2018
- Judaism and Biomedical Ethics, Florence Melton Scholars course, 2019
- Forgiveness in modern Jewish thought, Reconstructing Judaism Rabbinic School, webinar, 2018
- American Association of Pastoral Counselors Annual Conference, Decatur, GA, 2017
- Twenty-fourth Biennial Symposium on Transgender Health, WPATH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2016
- Elat Chayyim, Jewish Center for Spirituality, Isabella Freedman Retreat Center, Falls Village, CT, completed 2010
- Certification of Completion of course: Psychopharmacology Updates, 2006
- Certification in EMDR 1 & 2 (Eye-Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing), 2005
- Certification of completion in DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), 2004
Relevant Employment History
- Private Practice since 1990, concurrent with:
- The Centre for Behavioral Health, Denver, CO, 1999-2006, clinician
- Human Services Inc. Employee Assistance Program, Denver, CO, 1997-1999, clinician
- HSI Counseling Services, Denver, CO 1992-1996, clinician
- Charter Centennial Peaks Hospital, Louisville, CO, 1991-1992, clinician and educator
- Private Practice, Western slope of Colorado, 1990-1991
- West River Mental Health Center, Spearfish, SD 1988-1990, clinician
- St. Thomas Catholic Church, St. Paul Park, MN, 1981-1983