Therapist. Founder. Writer on the Psychology of Purpose-Driven Work.
You've spent years building your vision. Don't forget to invest in the person carrying it.
Conversations at the intersection of psychology, entrepreneurship, relationships, and purpose-driven work.
Laura Richer, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor · Washington State
If you have ever found yourself lying awake at 3:00 a.m. thinking about your business, replaying a difficult decision, wondering whether you are carrying too much, or quietly asking yourself, "Why does this feel so personal?" You are not alone.
I have spent my career helping people navigate relationships, anxiety, identity, grief, conflict, and major life transitions as a licensed mental health counselor. At the same time, I have spent more than two decades building and leading a mission-driven counseling practice of my own.
Living in both worlds taught me something I was never taught in graduate school: building a business does not just require strategy. It changes you.
When your work is deeply connected to your purpose, values, creativity, or vision, you are not simply making business decisions. You are investing pieces of yourself. That is what makes purpose-driven work so meaningful. It is also what makes it emotionally complex.
Success can feel deeply personal. So can disappointment. Leadership can become lonely. Relationships can strain under the weight of responsibility. It can become difficult to separate a business problem from a verdict about your worth, or to recognize when a decision that makes sense on paper is asking you to become someone you no longer want to be.
I am not a business coach. I will not tell you how to scale your company, optimize your productivity, or build a seven-figure business. My role is different. I provide a place to talk honestly about founder mental health, entrepreneurial stress, burnout, identity, purpose, co-founder conflict, relationship strain, decision fatigue, and the emotional consequences of carrying a vision. I am interested in the human being behind the business, the art, the mission, or the idea.
That is why I created The Founders Couch, a space for therapy, reflection, and honest conversations about the psychology of entrepreneurship and purpose-driven work. My goal is not to make you less ambitious or less invested in your work. It is to help you build meaningful work while staying connected to yourself.
Education & professional background
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
Washington State
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Antioch University
Advanced training in Relational Life Therapy (RLT)
Primary clinical lens
Trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Attachment-based approach for individuals and couples
Training in CBT, attachment theory, family systems, somatic & mindfulness-based approaches
Ongoing professional development
Founder & CEO, Anchor Light Couples Therapy
More than two decades building a mission-driven counseling practice
How I work
Practical, Insightful, and Focused on Meaningful Change
Every person has a story, and understanding that story matters. Together, we'll explore the experiences, relationships, and attachment patterns that have shaped the way you see yourself, connect with others, respond to stress, and lead.
Sometimes that means looking at childhood and your family of origin. Sometimes it means understanding how those early experiences continue to influence the way you navigate conflict, trust, success, perfectionism, or relationships today.
The goal isn't to stay in the past. The goal is to understand how the past may still be shaping the present, so you have greater freedom to choose what comes next.
Insight is important, but insight alone isn't enough. Lasting change happens when awareness leads to different choices, healthier relationships, and a life that feels more aligned with who you are and the person you're becoming.
I believe people make sense in context.
None of us exist in isolation. The challenges we face are shaped by our relationships, our family systems, our attachment experiences, and the environments in which we live and work. That's why I don't just focus on symptoms. Together, we'll explore the patterns beneath them.
I believe relationships are where healing happens.
Whether we're talking about your marriage, your business, your team, your family, or your relationship with yourself, the quality of our relationships shapes the quality of our lives. My work is grounded in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), supported by training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), attachment theory, family systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and somatic and mindfulness-based approaches.
I believe understanding creates choice.
We'll spend time understanding the experiences that shaped you, not because the past is the destination, but because it often explains the patterns that continue to influence your present. Greater awareness creates greater freedom to respond differently.
I believe therapy should change your life, not just increase your insight.
Insight matters. But therapy is about more than understanding yourself. It's about helping you build healthier relationships, make more intentional decisions, and create a life that reflects your values rather than old survival strategies.
Ready to talk?
You built something real. You deserve support that understands what it asks of you. Schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation. No pressure, no performance, just a conversation about what is happening and whether working together feels like the right fit.
Schedule a consultation