LCSW, 7 years of experience
Hi there, I'm Lauren. I am so glad you found me because that means you are looking for a change, support, or digging into issues that may have just come to light or issues that you have been carrying on your own for far too long. You may be asking yourself, "What's wrong with me?" Or "Why am I like this?" Things may feel like they are falling apart, out of control, or you want to give up. However, you did not give up. You are reaching out for help and that is not easy. It is among the first steps toward feeling better and I am here to go on that journey with you. While I cannot directly make you feel better or solve your problems, I can provide a safe space with compassion and understanding to explore solutions with you. By using evidence-based techniques and processing your experiences, I believe in empowering you to focus on the things you can control and accept the things that you cannot. I look forward to working with you!
In our first session together, the focus is on getting to know you. I want to hear about what brought you in and how I can be of service. Also, I like to think of this as an interview with me, the first session is a chance for us both to feel each other out and decide if we will be a good fit for each other. As I may have mentioned somewhere on this page, the therapeutic relationship is the most important part!
I firmly believe in the power of Journaling. There are things that are hard to say out loud but through Journaling, there is still the option to get those things out. Sometimes it can feel as though there is never enough time in therapy to get to all the things that one feels they need to say, through the use of a journal there is still opportunity to gain insight into what may be troubling or causing pain. This also provides a place to do work in between sessions as well as a way to track progress and prepare for the next session to make our time together more meaningful by making sure to focus on the things that are most important to you. So definitely have a notebook ready and I can even provide journal prompts if interested!
The bulk of my social work experience has been working with the geriatric population. While I enjoy working with all adults, I particularly feel connected to working with older adults and end of life issues.
Lauren Carter offers therapy covered by Kaiser Permanente - Medicaid in Virginia.
Mindfulness helps train our brain to focus on the present moment, right here and now--not the future or the past. It takes practice and cultivation while helping us become more compassionate to the self as well as others. With Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, I enjoy incorporating CBT and mindfulness techniques together to look at how negative thought patterns influence mood and anxiety with self-regulation techniques including breathing, meditation, and encouraging daily mindful practice.
I utilize a mixture of CBT and MBCT in my approach to therapy. I feel that a combined approach of identifying negative thought patterns and associated behaviors is incredibly helpful along with a focus on self-compassion and daily practice of finding more ways to be present in the moment.