Valerie Lorig

Valerie Lorig, LPC

Instructor

BA Psychology

EDUCATION:

MEd, Counseling; BA, Transpersonal Psychology

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS:

COURSES TAUGHT:

The Psychology of Mindfulness Meditation; Learning From Trauma: Understanding its Effects and Building Personal Resources; Hakomi Somatics; Awakening Compassion; Transpersonal Psychology; Senior Seminar 1; Senior Seminar 2; Career: Field Placement

Valerie Lorig, MEd, LPC, has been a Faculty Instructor in the BA Psychology Program since 2008 and has developed a number of course curriculum for the program. A Licensed Professional Counselor, she is trained in Hakomi Somatic Therapy, Brainspotting, EMDR, PACT Couples Therapy, trauma therapy, and contemplative mindfulness-based methods. Working with individuals and couples at her psychotherapy practice, Auspicious Coincidence Counseling, her work informs the courses that she teaches. A meditation practitioner and student of Buddhism for many years, she attended the Naropa Institute as a young seeker and studied with the founder, Trungpa Rinpoche. She has lead retreats and meditation programs throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and India. As the former art director for Silverwave Records, a Native American Record Label, her work with Native artists garnered awards and Grammys. Starting as a young designer at Rolling Stone Magazine in New York City, she eventually moved to Colorado and made Boulder her home where she raised three beautiful grown children.

PUBLICATIONS:

  • What is Trauma?
  • Attachment Theory, Attunement, Co-Regualtion, Window of Tolerance
  • ACEs Adverse Childhood Experiences; Trauma and Public Health
  • Self-Care, Healing Principles of Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness
  • Trauma and the Brain
  • Intergenerational Trauma
  • Post Traumatic Growth
  • Somatic Experiencing Hakomi Character Strategies
  • Contact and Tracking in Hakomi
  • Brainspotting: A Brief Overview

YOU ARE READY.

This is where experiential learning meets academic rigor. Where you challenge your intellect and uncover your potential. Where you discover the work you’re moved to do—then use it to transform our world.

“*” indicates required fields

Search Naropa University

Search

Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

Naropa Logo

Naropa Campuses Closed on Friday, March 15, 2024

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.