Laura Hankins Rand is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who earned her M.S. Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the CACREP- accredited program at Western Carolina University. She also holds an M. Ed. and a certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling.

Laura was an educator for 30 years when she was diagnosed with cancer. That was a turning point in her life motivating her to change direction.  She went back to school in her 50s to study counseling due to the lack of mental health integration she saw for cancer patients and others with chronic illness and serious life transitions.

Laura believes that mental health can and should be an area of equal attention and integration for medical issues and common developmental changes we face as we grow older.

Her own experience and research informs and guides her work with others facing issues of anxiety, depression, and life changes. Laura has worked her whole life with children and families in both education and mental health and has a special affinity for working with women as they experience both common and uncommon changes in their lives.

Here is a link to a recent article Laura wrote on the topic of mental health and chronic illness: http://www.wncwoman.com/2013/11/16/chronic-healing-ii/

Her practice now accepts Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance.