Dr. Laura Bokar is the CEO of Fox Valley Institute and has been an individual, marital and family therapist for over 25 years. Fox Valley Institute (FVI) was opened in 2001 with one therapist (Dr. Laura). Since then, FVI has grown to a team of twenty-five and continues to expand.  Over these years, FVI’s team has been awarded numerous accolades for their distinguished work.

Dr. Laura received her Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision, and a Master’s Degree in Human and Child Development with a specialization in Marriage and Family therapy. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, clinical professional counselor, and an approved clinical supervisor. She is certified in Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Critical Incident Response, Prepare/Enrich Pre-Post Marital Assessment, Primary Care Behavioral Health, Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) and completed an Externship in Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT), a research-based marital therapy.

Why did you join KidsMatter? What motivates you to be more involved in our community and represent KidsMatter as a board member?

I love kids and families! Being a marriage and family therapist for over 25 years I have seen the hurt, pain, disappointments, and abuse that occurs in unhealthy families and the effects it has on the kids. I want to be part of an organization that is working towards building resilient kids and families who say NO to destructive choices and YES to endless possibilities—which is KidsMatter’s mission. With my years of counseling experience, I feel I can add value, make an impact and serve kids and families in need in our community. I also think it is important to celebrate, uplift and encourage the ones who are doing well.