About Laura

Meet Laura Turns Meaning Credentials Experience Affiliations Education

Meet Laura Taets

Laura's education and professional journey moved through business, child development, mediation and life coaching before finally arriving at clinical social work, therapy and palliative care. Her path took many twists and turns as she balanced work and family, but always centered around:

The belief that all individuals are worthy of being valued, seen and heard without judgment
Her passion for connecting with people

Laura's career as a therapist & palliative specialist began at Family & Children’s Agency, and continued at Stamford Hospital as a member of the inpatient palliative care team. From there she transitioned to an outpatient clinic setting, developing an outpatient palliative care program at the Hospital’s Bennett Cancer Center and serving as an oncology and palliative social worker.

Laura’s motivation to form PalliativeTurns in 2021 was driven by her dedication to helping individuals experiencing illness, caregiving responsibilities and loss. Seeing Covid-19’s devastating impacts on individuals, families and health care professionals first-hand, Laura felt an urgency to bring her skills into the community.

Laura is mom to three young adults and lives at home with her husband and two dogs, Shep and Jerry. She is an outdoor enthusiast and her favorite vacations include hiking and skiing with her family.

Laura Taets,
Therapist & Palliative Specialist

Laura with Shep & Jerry

The Meaning of Turns

The symbol used for Palliative Turns is a musical notation called a turn. To the musician, the symbol is a simple notation that represents a more complex set of notes.

The turn symbol immediately resonated with me as symbolizing a universal, clear notation honoring the unique nature of what lies beneath the surface and valuing the richness of what presents itself above.

No two people are the same. We may look similar, but underneath each of us lies an intricate and unique design resulting from past experiences and driving future one’s.

Palliative care itself is a simple label for highly individualized care. It’s nuanced and lacks a succinct or broadly applicable definition. It can vary by setting and circumstances.

Life’s journey is never a linear one. It is embedded with turns. Some turns are expected; others are not. Some are for the better; others less so. If we don’t pivot with the turns, we end up drifting off the road.

I can’t think of a more perfect way to represent the complexities of a life touched by illness or loss, than the turn symbol.

Underneath each of us lies our own complicated pattern of notes, developed over a lifetime. And let’s be honest, most of us would admit it’s pretty messy under there-I know it is for me. When we take time together to explore the complex mess and address the strengths and weaknesses of the underlying notes, things always end up looking less complicated and less overwhelming than they did before.

Palliative Turns honors you as an individual and respects your journey. It symbolizes respect for your underlying courage, strength and individuality. It signifies my dedication to pivoting with you at the turns, and sticking with you for the journey.