Tonya Lawfer, LPC

Tonya Lawfer, LPC, is a UW Health licensed professional counselor and substance use disorder (SUD) specialist who works with patients over the age of 18. She treats a range of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD, as well as persistent mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and dissociative disorders.

Tonya has a special interest in sexual health concerns, LGBTQ+ issues and promoting a sex-positive, safe therapeutic space for clients.  She is passionate about taking a positive, person-centered approach that is non-judgmental and centered around recovery. She is skilled in multiple evidence-based treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, motivational interviewing, behavioral activation and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

Tonya chose the counseling profession because she has always enjoyed helping others. She provides a safe environment for patients to speak freely and personalizes care to meet their needs. She also likes to ease the often-difficult work of counseling and recovery with a little humor and fun along the way.

In her downtime, Tonya enjoys spending time with her husband and children, being outdoors and snuggling with her cats. She has an adventurous spirit and is up for whatever comes her way.

I serve as a guide, not a director, in the recovery journey.