About Dr. Lori Lawrenz

I help you overcome your sexual and relationship worries by using sex-positive & affirmative approaches.

Hi, I am Dr. Lori Lawrenz.

Are you struggling with sexual difficulties? Do you feel ashamed or confused by your desires? Do you have trouble feeling good about your sexual self? If so, I want you to know that it can get better. My goal is to help individuals and couples address their sexual concerns as well as to create a judgment-free space in which to explore your sexual self.

Healthy sexuality is related to positive psychological functioning. When we are sad, fearful, nervous, or struggling, it is difficult to find ways to feel good about our sexual selves. When we have sexual difficulties, these performance, pain, or desire issues can lead to psychological difficulties such as depression, anxiety, or obsessive and compulsive behaviors. The mind and body are connected, and I am here to help you get connected with yourself in order to increase your pleasure and live a happier, healthier life.

How does your sexual story impact how you show up relationally? Are you feeling grief, shame, or confusion? Are you ready to expand your capacity for pleasure? Together, we can figure out your sexual story and how your history impacts how you currently engage with others. No matter your story, I will provide a safe space for you to work out your feelings. I can help you explore your sexual and relational patterns in order to improve the way you think, feel, and behave to help you to feel better. 

If sexual trauma is part of your story, I have many years of experience in working with people who have been hurt and traumatized, sometimes as their first introduction to sex. Your wounds from your past do not have to influence your current expression of sexuality. 

For the past twenty years, I have worked as a clinical psychologist and I am happy to have the opportunity to re-specialize in Human Sexuality at the Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health. I hope to support you in your search for new, creative solutions to new or old issues. My agenda is to help you be the best for you. You deserve to live life unafraid, free, and filled with joy.     

Best,


Dr. Lori Lawrenz

My Training

Human Sexuality Fellowship

  • Fellowship in Sexual Health at the Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health (2020 to the Present)

Licenses

  • Psychology, State of Hawaii, PsyD #1844, March 2020 to present
  • Psychology, State of Missouri, PsyD #2000152432 April 2000 to present

Education

  • Doctor of Clinical Psychology – Forest Institute of Professional Psychology
  • Master of Arts – Clinical Psychology Forest Institute of Professional Psychology
  • Bachelor of Science – Missouri State University

Doctoral Dissertation

  • A Normative Validation of the Symbolic Meanings of Bender-Gestalt Figures. Symbolic meanings of Bender-Gestalt figures were explored using a semantic differential technique

Professional Affiliations

  • American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, & Therapists (AASECT)

Endorsements

“Dr. Lawrenz has dedicated her career as a clinical psychologist to helping others, often in the hardest times of their lives. She is professional, culturally competent, and a tireless advocate for her clients. Perhaps most notable about Dr. Lawrenz is her genuine, thoughtful approach that provides the client a sense of safety and acceptance. She is an outstanding asset to serve the people of Hawaii. ”

Shawna M. Baron, Psy.D.

“Dr. Lori Lawrenz is a wonderful, caring, empathetic and knowledgeable psychologist who goes “above and beyond” to help her clients. She is very devoted and committed to the work she does and does it with nothing less than excellence. She shows such compassion and desire to help others, all the while learning from each experience to not only improve the lives of others, but herself as well. I have seen her show such strength and resilience in her own life, when facing various challenges and situations that she has encountered with astounding fortitude and grace.  I would, without hesitation confidently recommend Dr. Lori Lawrenz to anyone seeking her services.”

 

Wanda K. Holloway, PsyD, LCSW, LPC
EMDR Certified Therapist, Approved Consultant and Trainer

“Dr. Lawrenz is a caring, compassionate psychologist who advocates for her clients. She has the ability to respect a person’s faith and delve into the difficult sexual issues. Where faith and sexuality may clash, Dr. Lawrenz is able to provide a non-judgmental place to work out your issues. Dr. Lawrenz is sensitive to the struggles of those dealing with sexual health concerns as it sometimes being considered “taboo” in faith based communities. She is respectful of diverse backgrounds and cultures. She seeks to help you find your truth and psychological wellness within the framework of the faith you profess. She is kind, caring, and able to talk about difficult topics. I encourage you to give Dr. Lawrenz an opportunity to take the journey as you move to sexual wholeness.”

 

Dr. DeMetra Williams

“I have known Dr. Lori Lawrenz since her days in training and throughout her career as a psychologist. She is on the shortlist of therapists I would trust with my own family and loved ones–because she is incredibly empathic, deeply compassionate, full of hard-won wisdom, and relentlessly committed to the health and welfare of her clients. She is a real gem and I think the world of her.”

 

Paul Thomlinson, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Compass Health Research Institute

“Dr. Lawrenz is such an amazing, compassionate clinician. Her knowledge and experience working with individuals with trauma and other mental health challenges is superb and paralleled only by her empathy and ability to relate to her clients and their experiences. She meets them where they are in their change and recovery process to provide the best support and assistance possible. She works intensely with her clients as a guiding partner who respects her clients’ individual experiences and autonomy while helping them find and own their life and their path to a happy and healthy life. She is particularly skilled and experienced working with individuals with complex trauma and/or co-occurring disorders and prioritizing helping her clients discover the right solutions, not the easy ones. Dr. Lawrenz’s clinical skills in assessment and therapy make her a huge asset to the Sex Therapy Hawaii practice. I have in the past and hope to continue in the future to refer clients to Dr. Lawrenz, as she is such an excellent clinician who changes her client’s lives for the better.”

 

Susan Baker MS, LPC