Laura Mitchell

Laura Mitchell is a Case Manager and Adventure Coordinator at Engage Young Adult Transitions, where she supports young adults in developing greater independence, confidence, connection, and practical life skills through case management, experiential learning, and real-world experiences.

Laura earned her B.S. in Psychology from Southern Utah University, with minors in Family Life and Human Development and Outdoor Recreation and Parks & Tourism. In August 2026, she is beginning an MSW program through Boise State University, with an expected graduation in August 2028.

Laura brings extensive experience working with adolescents and young adults across residential treatment, outdoor education, athletics, advocacy, and transition-focused settings. Before joining Engage in August 2025, she spent six years working with adolescents ages 13–18 in residential treatment. She began as a direct-care mentor and later served in Recreation and Residential Coordinator roles, as well as a de-escalation trainer.

She also spent four years coaching ski racing, with a focus on resilience, confidence, performance, and the mental aspects of competition. Her additional experience includes an internship with Canyon Creek, a nonprofit social services organization, where she completed 40 hours of Core Advocacy training through the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition.

Laura has completed training in crisis intervention and de-escalation, suicide prevention, trauma-informed care, CPR, and Wilderness First Responder (WFR).

As a Case Manager at Engage, Laura helps young adults identify goals related to connection, independence, and health and translate those goals into practical action. She collaborates closely with therapists, Life Coaches, academic and vocational staff, families, and other members of the Engage team to help young adults apply what they are learning to everyday adult life.

Her work may involve helping a young adult apply for a job, navigate college or technical education, establish routines, manage relationships, complete practical responsibilities, problem-solve through setbacks, or participate more fully in the community. These real-world experiences create opportunities to strengthen decision-making, accountability, confidence, executive functioning skills, and independent living skills.

Laura approaches her work from the belief that young adults benefit from both a secure base and meaningful opportunities to practice autonomy. She uses individualized scaffolding, encouragement, perspective-shifting, and experiential learning to help young adults recognize their capabilities, learn from setbacks, and gradually take greater ownership of their lives.

She is particularly interested in the developmental work of emerging adulthood, including identity, relationships, purpose, education, employment, independent living, and the transition from relying primarily on external support to developing greater self-direction.

As Engage’s Adventure Coordinator, Laura helps create outdoor and adventure-based experiences that are intentional, engaging, and connected to young adult development. She sees adventure as an opportunity for young adults to build practical skills, experience appropriate challenge, develop confidence, strengthen relationships, discover moments of flow, and learn more about how they respond to discomfort, uncertainty, success, and setbacks.

Her goal is not simply to get young adults outdoors. It is to use meaningful experiences as another opportunity to practice connection, independence, health, resilience, and greater confidence in themselves.

Outside of Engage, Laura enjoys parenting and family life, art, gardening, skiing, climbing, canyoneering, hiking, backpacking, birding, reading, and travel. Her lifelong relationship with the outdoors began with her family and continues to shape both her personal life and professional work. She values continually learning from the young adults she works with and helping each person identify their strengths, purpose, and sources of joy while developing the confidence and skills to build a meaningful adult life.