
Laura Nielsen, PsyD
- ABOUT -
Licensed Psychologist;
Owner and Founder of Petrichor Psychological Consultants, PLLC
Dr. Laura Nielsen obtained both a Master's Degree (MA) and a Doctorate (PsyD) from the California School of Professional Psychology, at Alliant International University, in Sacramento, California. She was born and raised in Reno, NV, and she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is licensed to practice in both California and Nevada and holds an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) as well.
By the end of 2018, she completed both a pre-doctoral internship and a postdoctoral residency which were both approved by the American Psychological Association at Sutter Center for Psychiatry, in Sacramento, California. Her experiences in an inpatient hospital helped shape her passion for identifying and treating severe mental illness. Her residency was focused on Child and Adolescent Psychology, and she has received specialized training in the assessment and treatment of individuals aged 5-17.
Her training included rotations in multiple settings including schools (K-12), multiple hospitals (emergency department, inpatient psychiatry, and outpatient psychiatry), as well as the Anxiety Treatment Center (Sacramento). Her published dissertation investigated the differences in personality and psychopathy among sexual offenders. After obtaining licensure, she moved back to her hometown of Reno, following an opportunity to work firsthand hand with her father, mentor, and fellow psychologist, Dr. Earl Nielsen.
Dr. Nielsen’s clinical and professional interests include forensic assessment (risk assessments, diagnostic evaluations, competence to stand trial, etc.), criminal responsibility, severe mental illness, and psychological functioning as it relates to mitigation. She has testified in trial and has been qualified as an expert witness in Nevada. She is also broadly trained in diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with a variety of emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and developmental disorders.
In her free time, Dr. Nielsen can often be found spending time with animals. She has two very special cats, and she rides horses every chance she gets. She also enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Samantha Swanson, PsyD
- ABOUT -
Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Samantha Swanson was born and raised in Sacramento, CA and completed her undergraduate studies at San Diego State University. She obtained her Master’s (MA) and Doctorate (PsyD) degrees in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in Sacramento, CA. She is currently licensed to practice in California and Nevada.
​
Dr. Swanson received clinical training in a variety of settings including schools (K-12), residential treatment facilities, private practice, and multiple hospitals (emergency departments, inpatient psychiatry, outpatient psychiatry, and medical floors). She completed her predoctoral internship at Sutter Center for psychiatry working on a multidisciplinary team in an inpatient psychiatric hospital setting. The following year, she completed her postdoctoral fellowship in emergency medicine and as a consultant and liaison on various medical floors at three different Sutter Health hospitals in the greater Sacramento area. After completing her fellowship and obtaining licensure,
Dr. Swanson pursued her interest in forensic psychology and has since developed a passion for the field. Her current interests include forensic assessment, treatment of acute mental illness, and threat assessment and management. She works with a wide variety of individuals ranging from young children to elderly, but has a passion for working with adolescents and young adults. Outside of her career, Dr. Swanson enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, paddleboarding, camping, and cycling. She otherwise spends her free time traveling, watching sports, and spending time with friends, family, and her dorky dog named Sochi.

Earl Nielsen, PhD
- ABOUT -
Licensed Psychologist
Earl Stewart Nielsen was born in Salt Lake City in April, 1949 but moved with his family to Ely, NV a few weeks later. He was raised in Ely where he attended school through 11th grade, then graduated from Mineral County High School in Hawthorne in 1967. He attended Brigham Young University (BYU) where he was awarded a Bachelor’s of Science in psychology with a minor in communications in 1971.
Job offers were scarce but in 1972 he became the Director of the Winnemucca Mental Health Center as a psychiatric social worker. In 1975 he enrolled in the clinical psychology graduate program at the University of Nevada, Reno. He completed a child and adolescent internship at Children’s Behavioral Services in Reno; then an adult internship at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. He graduated with a PhD in clinical psychology in 1979. In September, 1979 Dr. Nielsen was hired as the psychologist for the Adolescent Treatment Center in Reno. In January 1980 he became the Director of that facility; in 1982 he was appointed the Director of Adolescent Services for Northern Nevada; and in 1984 he became the Director of Clinical Services for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Northern Nevada.
​
In September 1985 he resigned his state position and became an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno in the clinical psychology graduate program. He started with an independent practice that year, and after teaching for two years moved to the private practice full time.
In 1986 he and partners formed Psychological Consultants, LLC in Reno and has remained in private practice since. His initial focus was child and adolescent treatment, but the practice gradually developed into a forensic psychology practice.
​
In 2011 Dr. Nielsen signed a contract to provide psychological services for the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center. That contract remains in force at 24 hours per week. In 2012 he signed a separate contract with the Indian Health Service to provide psychological services to the Fort McDermitt Tribe and maintained that contract for six years.
​
Dr. Nielsen is married but has three adult daughters from prior
marriages: Amanda, a licensed clinical social worker; Kate, a professional artist; and Laura, a licensed psychologist and founder of Petrichor Psychological Consultants, LLC. He has maintained interest in hunting, fishing, and hiking. He enjoys travel and vacations in Ruby Valley and Santa Catalina Island.

Daniel O’Rourke
- ABOUT -
Office Manager
Daniel O’Rourke was born and raised in Rhode Island. After 24 years of snow and rain he made his decision to venture to San Diego, California in the hopes of finding some warmer and sunnier weather. He considers himself to be a “jack of all trades”. He received his National Emergency Services certification in 2021 after years of bartending and managing, and a brief stint as a foreman doing landscape construction and design.
Daniel made his way to Sacramento in 2020, after years of visiting his close friends he originally met in San Diego. As a long time friend of Dr. Samantha Swanson, she suggested that Daniel and his knack for organization and communication join our team.
Outside of work he enjoys spending time traveling, gardening, paddleboarding with his two dogs, or can be found swinging in his hammock reading a book in the sunshine.