PORT ANGELES — She’s a professional mediator specializing in “high emotion” family cases.
She’s served as president of Resolution Washington, the state association of dispute resolution agencies.
And as the director and lead trainer at Port Angeles’ nonprofit Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center from 2004 through 2011, Laura O’Neal saw her share of that high emotion.
For relief, O’Neal became a comedian, doing her one-woman show across and beyond the North Olympic Peninsula while continuing to work as a certified mediator and business trainer.
Now, she’s boiling all of this down: O’Neal is “The Advice Lady,” and she’s working the crowd — hopes it will be, anyhow — this Friday in downtown Port Angeles.
From 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. — well, she could be talked into 2 p.m. — O’Neal will dispense advice for 25 cents per person at InSpired!, 124 W. First St.
“In all honesty, I love to listen to folks,” said O’Neal, adding that she’s writing a book about her advising life.
“Many times when folks share, it helps them see the situation from a more realistic point of view. I sort of, at least for a few minutes, share their burden.”
O’Neal also wants to support Port Angeles’ locally owned businesses, including InSpired!, where owner Merala Heins is marking the store’s second anniversary.
Heins will serve free refreshments and invite visitors to see “Portals,” a three-dimensional photography exhibition — 3-D glasses included — by local artist Charlie Comstock.
Comstock’s photos will be on display in the upstairs gallery at InSpired! both Friday and Saturday.
“The Advice Lady” will be on hand Friday only, “although if mass confusion, indecision and light depression befalls our fair city, I may have to dish out advice on Saturday, too,” O’Neal quipped.
“But I don’t think I can hold a candle to retail therapy.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
