Emily Layman

Emily Layman (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC). Since entering the mental health field, Emily has worked with individuals, couples, and groups across the lifespan. Those who know Emily would describe her as kind, open-minded, and conscientious, and her priority as a clinician is to encourage development of trust and mutual respect with her clients. Emily believes a positive therapeutic relationship is a key component to one’s success in therapy, as it allows clients to feel safe in honestly expressing themselves. While she enjoys providing the skills and space for her clients to grow, she finds purpose in helping each of her clients recognize and better utilize their own personal strengths.

Counseling is a vocational change for Emily, as she originally intended to work in the environmental education field; she worked full-time for several years as an animal trainer and programs presenter at AZA-accredited zoos after completing her undergraduate degree. Emily ultimately decided to return to graduate school to become a therapist, and hopes to one day integrate her animal background into her therapy practice. Emily completed field placements in a play therapy practice and college counseling center while in graduate school, and has since worked in community mental health, partial hospitalization and outpatient group practice settings providing mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Specialties

Emily works with adults ages 18+. She specializes in treating mood and anxiety disorders, life transitions, grief, women’s issues, relationship issues, trauma, and substance abuse. Emily is LGBTQIA+ affirming.

Treatment Modalities

Emily utilizes a person-centered, trauma-informed approach that prioritizes empathy, genuineness, and non-judgement. She often integrates skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and enjoys exploration of attachment, systems, and psychodynamic concepts in her work with clients.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation/ minor in Education, Juniata College, 2014
• Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Messiah University, 2020

Licenses and Certificates of Completion

• Licensed Professional Counselor
• Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)
• Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) trained