About Dr. Vernon

Dr. Laura Vernon is the founder of Palm Beach Coaching and Consulting, LLC. She has spent her career inspiring others to reach new heights. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, completed a clinical internship at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and completed postdoctoral training at the Central Michigan University Trauma and Anxiety Disorders Clinic. Dr. Vernon was on the faculty of the Psychology Department at Auburn University for 5 years before coming to the Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where she has been teaching and conducting research since 2006.

Dr. Vernon has won FAU’s university-wide Distinguished Teacher of the Year award, an honor bestowed upon only one professor across the university each year. She has also served as the Associate Director of FAU’s Jupiter Life Science Initiative, as the Associate Dean of the Wilkes Honors College, and as the Provost Fellow for Mental Health for FAU. Dr. Vernon worked closely with FAU's President and Provost to launch a series of university-wide mental health and wellness initiatives, including hosting a two-day University Mental Health Summit for faculty and staff. She is the founder of FAU Thrive Wellness and Support Network.

Dr. Vernon conducts research on a range of mental health topics, including research on mindfulness, stress, anxiety, trauma, stigma, and thriving. She teaches honors psychology courses such as Positive Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychopathology, and Heath Psychology.

Dr. Vernon is the mother of two delightfully curious and energetic children, Leo and Rosie, who are in middle school. Dr. Vernon enjoys nearly anything outside - running, biking, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and horseback riding. She is an occasional gamer and proud weightlifter.