LPCC, 5 years of experience
Welcome, I'm Lauren, a compassionate, yet direct therapist with a desire to help you make meaningful steps towards growth. I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and also hold a credential in school counseling. I am currently located in the Central Coast of California. I graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with my BS in Sociology and received my MA in Counseling Education from San Jose State University. I have worked in a variety of settings including community mental health and school settings. With my sociology and psychology background, I look at the systemic issues in society as well as specific issues that are affecting your life experience. I value nature, spending time asking the deeper questions or meanings of life and finding light in the world. I am highly motivated by possibilities and acknowledge your step to try therapy with the hope of new possibilities! I believe that all humans are worth of sharing their story and I feel so passionate and grateful that I get to share space with others during some of their most challenging times. Join me in discussing where you are at as we navigate the possibility of healing wounds to create a future you desire.
During our first session we will build trust and understanding for a supportive therapeutic relationship. We will identify your goals for therapy and where you'd like to see yourself if therapy is successful. You'll leave the session with a taste of my personality and an open discussion around finding a good fit . Sessions are typically 53 minutes which includes scheduling of our next session as desired. My calendar will then be open for you to message me and to schedule appointments on your own to hold the spots you'd like. I do have a strict no show and late (less than 24 hour) cancellation policy. Should you no show or cancel late, you will be charged a no show/late cancel fee of $75. There are times that I need to reschedule due to emergency or illness. I will reach out to you promptly to do so and accommodate your as best as I am able so you don't miss a week.
Having worked with a spectrum of clients from middle school to older adults, I am seasoned in building understanding for your life circumstances and helping you navigate obstacles even with limited resources. I aim for empathic, yet direct reflection around observed patterns to best support you in moving forward from a place of dysfunction.
If you are ready to dive deeper into insights to let go of old patterns to improve quality of life, I look forward to supporting you. I have worked in school-based counseling settings as well as community mental health clinics with severe mental illness. I also have experience in supporting individuals through crisis and loss. I have most recently focused training on DBT and trauma-informed skills to assist those I treat in exploring how past wounds impact their present patterns. I can also offer specific skill building through a DBT perspective if you wish. I am open to flexing my style to suit the goals you have for therapy. I am passionate about helping those transition through life changes such as relational changes, career, or unexpected life circumstances.
Incorporation of mindfulness and somatic techniques used to support in interrupting negative thought patterns, recognize mood changes, and improved self-control.
I am passionate about using the principals of DBT to improve relational satisfaction and help all people manage difficult emotions.
I seek to understanding and treat the perspectives of a person's past wounds and how they interact with present functioning. I seek to empathize and understands one's past pain.