Women & female students
What does counseling for women and female students look like?
Counseling for women and female students, roughly ages 13 to 65, in Waterloo, Iowa and online across Iowa.
Lori has spent more than 30 years listening to women's stories: students figuring out who they are, women in the middle of demanding seasons, women whose lives changed without asking permission first.
Working almost entirely with women and female students means she isn't guessing about the particular pressures involved: the expectation to hold everything together, the running comparison, the way self-doubt learns to sound reasonable.
What do women and students bring to counseling?
- School and college pressure, and the fear of disappointing someone.
- Expectations: your own, your family's, everyone's.
- Relationships that have gotten complicated, at home or with friends.
- Comparison that runs all day, whether or not you're on your phone.
- Confidence that used to be there and isn't right now.
- Identity: who you are apart from what you accomplish.
- Food and body image taking up too much space.
- Anxiety, panic, or a mind that won't slow down.
- Feeling overwhelmed by an ordinary week.
- Faith that feels distant, or questions you're not sure you can ask out loud.
- Decisions about the future when every option has a cost.
- Family relationships shifting as you grow up, or as your parents age.
What if you're a student?
You don't have to explain yourself well to be taken seriously here. You can say, "I don't know, it's just been a lot lately," and that's a real starting place.
Counseling with Lori is a private hour that belongs to you. She'll ask questions, she'll listen more than she talks, and she won't be shocked by anything you say. If your parents are involved in setting it up, she'll be clear with everyone about what stays between the two of you.
What if you're a mother looking for help for your daughter?
You've probably been watching for a while, weighing whether to push and how hard. You want someone who will take her seriously without alarming her, and who will tell you the truth about what she needs.
Lori works with students and their families. She's a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) licensed in Iowa, with more than 30 years of experience, and she'll be direct with you about what she sees, including when a higher level of care or another provider is the right call.
You can call 319-240-5035 and ask questions before anything is scheduled. That's a completely normal way to start.
Often related: eating disorders and body image, anxiety and depression, and self-worth and confidence.
Common questions
Does Lori counsel female students?
Yes. Lori's individual counseling practice serves females approximately ages 13 to 65, including middle school, high school and college students in Waterloo, Cedar Falls and the Cedar Valley.
Can a parent set up counseling for a daughter?
Yes. Parents often make the first call. Lori will talk with you about what you're seeing, what counseling would look like, and how a parent stays appropriately involved while a student still has a private place to talk.
Is counseling for women available online?
Yes. Sessions are available in person in Waterloo, Iowa or online. Online sessions are available to clients physically located in Iowa.
Can faith be part of therapy here?
Yes, if you want it to be. Lori offers Christ-centered counseling, and faith is an invitation rather than a requirement.
How do I get started?
Call 319-240-5035 or use the contact page. For rates and insurance, see counseling information.
Helpful reading
If it helps to read a little before reaching out, these were written with this exact concern in mind.
How do I know if I need counseling?
The quiet signs that it may be time to talk with someone, and why you do not have to be in crisis to start.
What to expect at your first counseling appointment
What the first hour actually looks like, what you will be asked, and what you do not have to have figured out beforehand.
When you feel responsible for everyone
Where over-responsibility comes from, what it costs, and how to set it down without abandoning people.
Reaching out can be the first step.
You don't need to know exactly what to say, or have anything figured out, before you contact Lori.
Or email rasmussencounselingandsd@gmail.com