LCSW, 10 years of experience
New to Grow
I am Mayren Fraguela-Lam, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addiction Professional with more than 10 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families navigate mental health, behavioral, and addiction challenges. I provide compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to each client’s needs, focusing on building resilience, enhancing coping skills, and fostering personal growth. My goal is to create a supportive and collaborative environment where lasting change and healing can take place.
In our first session, you can expect a thorough initial evaluation where we will explore your background, current concerns, and goals for therapy. I will gather a comprehensive biopsychosocial history to better understand the challenges you are facing and the factors influencing your well-being. This collaborative process helps us identify the reasons you are seeking therapy and ensures that we create a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. The first session is also an opportunity for you to ask questions, share expectations, and begin building a safe, supportive therapeutic relationship.
My greatest strengths lie in combining clinical expertise with a compassionate, goal-oriented approach that empowers clients to achieve meaningful results. I draw on more than 10 years of experience across mental health, behavioral health, and addiction treatment to provide evidence-based interventions tailored to each client’s unique needs. I am skilled at creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel heard and understood, while also challenging them to build resilience, develop practical coping skills, and break unhelpful patterns. Clients often note that my ability to balance empathy with accountability helps them make steady, lasting progress toward their goals.
My ideal clients are individuals, couples, and families who are seeking clarity, healing, and meaningful change in their lives. I specialize in working with those navigating challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, and relationship difficulties, as well as clients facing major life transitions. I am particularly well-suited to support clients who want to strengthen communication, build healthier coping strategies, and break free from unhelpful patterns. Whether you come to therapy feeling motivated for growth or uncertain about where to begin, I provide a professional, compassionate space to help you gain insight, restore balance, and achieve lasting transformation.
In my practice, I frequently utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients recognize the relationship between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. I guide them in identifying cognitive distortions, building healthier coping skills, and practicing behavioral strategies such as journaling, thought records, and exposure exercises. Treatment is goal-oriented and evidence-based, with progress measured through symptom reduction and improved daily functioning. While CBT is the foundation, I also integrate mindfulness and other complementary approaches when clinically appropriate to support lasting change and resilience.
In couple counseling, I focus on helping partners identify unhelpful interaction patterns, improve communication, and strengthen their connection. Sessions emphasize fostering empathy, building problem-solving skills, and reducing conflict through healthier ways of relating. I guide couples in practicing strategies both in session and at home, with progress measured by improved collaboration, emotional regulation, and overall relationship satisfaction.
In family therapy, I support families in recognizing and shifting patterns that create tension or conflict, while strengthening communication and mutual understanding. The sessions are structured to enhance problem-solving, promote healthier interactions, and build stronger connections within the family system. I encourage the practice of these skills outside of therapy, with progress reflected in greater cohesion, reduced stress, and a more supportive family environment.
n motivational interviewing, I use a collaborative and client-centered approach to help individuals explore their ambivalence, clarify personal goals, and strengthen intrinsic motivation for change. Sessions focus on active listening, empathy, and guiding clients to recognize discrepancies between their current behaviors and desired outcomes. By fostering autonomy and supporting self-efficacy, I empower clients to take practical steps toward lasting and meaningful change.
In psychoeducation, I provide clients and families with clear, evidence-based information about mental health conditions, treatment options, and coping strategies to increase understanding and reduce stigma. Sessions are interactive and tailored to the client’s needs, focusing on building awareness, improving self-management skills, and promoting informed decision-making. By enhancing knowledge and practical skills, psychoeducation empowers clients to actively participate in their treatment and supports long-term recovery and resilience.