Lake Middle School partners with Ellie Family Services and Youth Service Bureau to offer school-based therapy options for students based on their needs. If you are interested in these services, please connect with your student's School Counselor for more information.
ELLIE FAMILY SERVICES:
Ms. Laura Lammar-Binder
Mental Health Therapist
Hello! I am Ms. Laura, Mental Health Therapist with Ellie Mental Health. I am delighted to be partnering with Lake Middle School to provide a listening ear and helpful skills to the students! I employ strength-based talk therapy for the most part, but I value utilizing what the students need most to include journaling, arts and crafts, music, and other such modalities to help the students understand themselves and their emotions and behaviors, and learn useful skills to help manage them.
Middle School can be an interesting time for adolescents at the best of times. In the time of COVID-19, mental health has been revealed to be more significant than ever and I am honored to be here to help where I can.
Background:
I have a master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from Liberty University and I am in the midst of gaining post-graduate hours for my licensure with the Board of Marriage & Family Therapists in Minnesota. My main experience has been in relation to grief therapy and treating anxiety and depression.
About Me:
I always strive to be truly authentic with my clients and like to think of myself as young at heart (you’ll never guess how old I actually am). My own background with grief led to my desire to help others gain the skills necessary to keep going in the midst of “the crazy” that life has to offer with authenticity, hope, and humor. My husband and I just purchased our first home with our 5-year-old twins, where I hope to teach them to cook and bake as well as my grandmother taught me. I love Sprite, any Asian food ever, and I LOVE to paint and crochet while listening to audiobooks (usually fantasy or historical fiction) or watching dorky comedies with my family (our current favorite is Bob’s Burgers).
YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU:
Ms. Maria Hayes
Chemical Health Specialist
Hello! I am Ms. Hayes, Lake Middle School’s new Chemical Health Specialist! I am employed through Youth Service Bureau Inc. and am a unique resource for students. My purpose in the schools is to provide services for students whose lives are affected by substance abuse. Whether a student is using a substance or one of their loved ones is, they are welcome to meet with me. We go over drug education, any specific questions they have, and potential coping strategies to help them deal with stressors associated with their experiences, among other things.
I meet with kids during school hours and can also meet with parents! You can reach out to me with questions and concerns as well as for local resources to help! Youth Service Bureau prioritizes early intervention in youth to help children achieve their full potential in their middle school years, which can be a very impressionable, difficult period of life for many. We are here to help!
Background:
I have a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas in Psychology and Family Studies with a minor in Business. Currently, I am studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Bethel University in pursuit of my Master’s degree. I have a background in ABA therapy, which is especially effective for kids with Autism and ADHD.
About Me:
I am an extroverted Leo, always striving to express myself and help others. My favorite color is blue, my favorite drink is green tea with citrus, and my favorite Marvel superhero is Iron Man. I strive to one day buy my own puppy as well as achieve a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!
