Laura Marques Brown she/her/ela

There is a general understanding in this field that our internal human environment is connected to our external natural environment. Due to the legacies of racialized oppression (colonial occupation, Indigenous genocide and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade to name a few), these two systems have become disconnected. Throughout the field of Ecopsychology this disconnection is referred to as the “original trauma.” There are two major consequences of this trauma. One is the collective emotional, spiritual, mental and physical suffering of our own species. The other, the demise of our sacred bonds to the natural world and the more than human world. This severance creates isolation and deterioration between everything that is alive. Laura believes that this original relationship is sacred and ancient. She loves to collaborate and be in community with professionals who seek to repair and return to it intentionally in order to restore our collective health and humanity.

Laura has created a therapy framework called Decolonizing Ecotherapy©, a Trauma- Informed Therapy Model for Ecotherapists. Laura teaches others how to re-humanize the process of therapy, the role of the therapist and the role of the client, and build insight into how systems of oppression and historical trauma impact a person’s sense of belonging in nature. Her approach is built on the premise that our identities impact how we relate to the world around us, including how we relate to the natural world. When Laura teaches her model, she is transparent that it intentionally disrupts the colonial status quo which often results in physical, emotionally and sometimes spiritual discomfort. She values supporting helping people in positions of power build a tolerance for this type of discomfort. Laura believes that learning to metabolize discomfort and heal this traumatic legacy promotes healthy therapist-client power dynamics, prevents extractive settler practices when engaging with wisdom traditions in the natural world, and creates a path to healing from our original trauma.

Laura currently offers her Decolonizing Ecotherapy© framework as a therapist, consultant and
educator for therapists who want to learn how to integrate relationship with the natural world
into therapy in trauma-informed and intentional ways. Laura is working towards becoming a
board-certified supervisor in Maryland this year.

Services Offered:

• Professional Collaboration & Community Building
• Trainings/Guest Presenting
• One Time Consultation
• Ongoing or Bi-monthly Consultation

Supervision Services:

*Coming in the Fall of 2022