Our Counselors

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Hi! I’m Laura Winters, and I’ve been a therapist with CCA for the past several years. Therapy is my second career, and I truly believe it’s the work I was meant to do.

Before becoming a therapist, I spent more than 25 years working in the field of adoption, counseling and supporting expectant parents, birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees as they navigated one of life’s most complex and emotional journeys—from placement decisions through search and reunion. If adoption is part of your story, please scroll to the special note at the end of my profile.

After spending much of my adult life working and raising children, I returned to college to earn my Master of Social Work degree and become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Along the way, someone asked how I knew mental health was the right field for me. I realized the answer was simple: I’ve always been fascinated by people’s stories—their experiences, emotions, motivations, and what makes them who they are. I genuinely enjoy getting to know people and helping them discover their own strengths. It’s simply who I am.

When you, your child, or your family come to therapy, I hope you find a place where you can exhale. A place where you feel safe enough to be yourself, share honestly, and know you’ll be accepted exactly as you are. My goal is to listen well, understand your story, and help you navigate whatever season of life you’re in. Therapy is a partnership. You’ll teach me about you, and together we’ll work toward the life you want to build.

I can’t promise the process will always be easy. Sometimes there are tears. Sometimes there are uncomfortable conversations. But there’s usually laughter, too. Even in difficult seasons, humor has a way of reminding us we’re human.

I work with children (I absolutely adore them!), teens (such a fun and important stage of life), college students (they have a special place in my heart), adults (because let’s be honest—adulting is hard), parents (the hardest and most rewarding job there is), couples, and families.

Some of the concerns I commonly help clients with include:

• Anxiety and depression
• Trauma and grief
• ADHD and emotional regulation
• OCD and perfectionism
• School stress, giftedness, and high-achievement pressure
• Parenting challenges
• Family conflict
• Toxic or unhealthy relationships
• Life transitions and career stress
• Self-esteem, identity, and purpose
• Adoption-related issues

Research consistently shows that one of the strongest predictors of successful therapy is the relationship between a client and their therapist. Finding someone who feels like the right fit matters. If you’d like to see whether we’re a good match, I’d love to meet you. I offer a free 15-minute consultation by phone or in person.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my profile. I hope to meet you soon.

Laura Winters, LCSW

Special Note for Those Touched by Adoption
For more than 25 years, I worked in the field of adoption, including 18 years with a long-standing private adoption agency in the St. Louis area. During that time, I had the privilege of counseling every member of the adoption constellation—from expectant parents to birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. I also worked with agency records dating back to the late 1800s, giving me a unique understanding of how adoption practices, laws, and societal attitudes have changed over time.

Adoption is filled with love, loss, joy, grief, gratitude, questions, and complicated emotions that often exist side by side. It’s a world many people don’t fully understand.

I do.

Birth Parents
If you’ve made an adoption plan, you know there are few decisions more difficult. Whether it happened recently or decades ago, your experience deserves to be acknowledged. Maybe you’ve shared your story with others. Maybe you’ve carried it quietly for years. Whatever your journey has looked like, I would be honored to listen without judgment and help you process the emotions that still remain.

Adoptees
A decision was made for you before you had a voice. Even when adoption was absolutely the right choice, many adoptees live with questions about identity, belonging, and missing pieces of their story. You can deeply love your adoptive family and wonder about your biological family. Those feelings are not mutually exclusive.

If you’re exploring your identity, considering a search, preparing for reunion, or simply looking for someone who understands adoption without needing everything explained, I’d love to help. I’ve had the privilege of assisting many adoptees through search and reunion and supporting those relationships afterward.

Adoptive Parents
Whether you’re just beginning to consider adoption, waiting to be matched, recovering from a disrupted placement, or raising a child through adoption, every stage brings unique joys and challenges. Adoption-informed support can make all the difference, and I’d be honored to walk alongside your family wherever you are in the journey.

• Relationships and Attachment
• Couples, Marriage, and Premarital
• Parenting & Co-Parenting
• Postpartum, Pregnancy and Motherhood
• Grief and Loss
• Major Life Changes
• Identity, Purpose, and Personal Growth
• Stress, Burnout, and Overwhelm
• Confidence, Self-Worth, and Personal Growth