Laurie Carter, Ph.D., MFA, M.S., MRYT, CHWC, is an educator, wellness professional, author, and U.S. Army veteran whose work brings together more than two decades of leadership in higher education with an interdisciplinary approach to whole-person wellness.
Known professionally as Dr. Laurie, she spent more than 20 years in higher education as a professor, department chair, and university dean. Throughout her academic career, she provided leadership while mentoring students, faculty, and emerging professionals. Her background in literature, creative nonfiction, leadership, and the humanities continues to shape her belief in the power of story, reflection, and human connection as pathways to growth.
Dr. Laurie holds a Ph.D. in Literature and Criticism, an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, and a Master of Science in Exercise Science and Wellness, earned with High Distinction. She is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Individual and Family Clinical Practice, adding another dimension to her work at the intersection of wellness, human behavior, and meaningful change.
Her professional wellness training spans movement, health and wellness coaching, nutrition, and mind-body practices. Dr. Laurie is a 200-hour certified trauma-informed yoga teacher and has completed Mindful Resilience Yoga Teacher Training (MRYT), which informs the mindful, resilience-centered approach she brings to her work. She is currently completing advanced training in Yoga Therapy, with anticipated completion in 2028. She is also a Pilates instructor and Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Most recently, she completed the Advanced Health Coach Program through Health Coach Institute, an NHSC-approved training program. She also earned her Nutrition Coach certification through Health Coach Institute, further expanding her ability to support clients through nutrition education, healthy lifestyle practices, and sustainable behavior change.
As co-founder of Veterans Impacting Positive Solutions (VIPS) Wellness & Recovery Institute, Dr. Laurie brings these disciplines together through an integrative approach to wellness. Her work encompasses health and wellness coaching, nutrition coaching, career and leadership coaching, yoga and Pilates, creative expression, workshops, retreats, and community wellness initiatives.
A U.S. Army veteran and author of Crave: Sojourn of a Hungry Soul, Dr. Laurie brings professional expertise, scholarship, and lived experience to her work with individuals navigating growth, change, recovery, and new seasons of life. Her approach recognizes that wellness extends beyond physical health. How we move, nourish ourselves, think, create, work, connect, and make meaning of our experiences are all part of how we live well.