Matt Lauziere MS, LPCa, LMT
As far back as I can remember, I have been interested in relationship building, healing, and the exquisite complexity of the human mind. I’ve endeavored to understand the roots of suffering and I’ve searched extensively–reading countless books, inquiring with experienced teachers, and attending a variety of trainings–for the tools to help people find their way out of life’s darkness, and into peace and aliveness. My professional life helping people began in 2013. After two years of training, I started a career as a licensed massage therapist. I spent the next six years working in that field, deepening my understanding of the mind-body connection and realizing the necessity of a holistic approach in effective healing.
In 2019, I began graduate school for clinical mental health counseling, balancing out my knowledge of the body with a thorough examination of the mind and the heart. Additionally, I spent my internship in a residential addiction treatment program, where I learned the importance of social support and healthy coping skills in dealing with addiction and trauma. This focus on trauma, attachment, and the roots of addiction ultimately drew me to Deschutes Wilderness Therapy.
At DWT I have been able to explore and resolve deep-rooted causes of emotional distress through immersion in family therapy, attachment theory, Brainspotting, the principles of CASA (commitment, acceptance, security, and attunement), and the power of nature in therapy. I am also trained in, and often utilize, person-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and trauma-informed care.
Through experience I have discovered that for me to be effective in assisting others in discovering their own clarity, it is paramount for me to be clear and grounded within myself. As I have made my way along this path, I have spent thousands of hours working on becoming more embodied and present through practices like yoga, qigong, transparent communication, aikido, and meditation. I love sharing my passion for these things with clients through meditation and somatic experiencing.
Currently, I continue to find myself joyfully immersed in building trusting relationships with students at DWT and my clients at Broken Top Counseling, through presence, deep listening, and the practice of unconditional positive regard. I am keenly interested in uncovering the root of my clients’ struggles and helping them to build their own awareness around this. From here, we can walk together through past and present pain, and reintegrate the parts of them that have been thought lost, to restore a sense of wholeness and hope.