About Dr. Thor

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