Hi, I’m Lauren.
I’m an Austin-based therapist who works with high schoolers, college students, and young adults.
I specialize in working with driven, highly motivated emerging adults who are struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, and self-esteem and want to achieve a better work-school-life-relationship balance.
Book a free consultation here.
My Story
I began my career in the outdoor industry. I served as an outdoor adventure trip leader at the University of Texas at Austin and spent five seasons as a whitewater raft guide on the Chattooga River. As I pursued all things outdoor adventure, I came to deeply understand the enormous, healing impact of genuine human connection and felt the pull to center this in my career.
I went back to school to earn a Master’s in Clinical Social Work and a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Georgia. I gained experience working in a variety of mental health settings, including an inpatient behavioral hospital and, most recently, as a therapist in a university-affiliated mental health clinic.
As a “recovering overachiever,” I know firsthand how striving for high achievement and success can result in anxiety and burnout & impact relationships and self-esteem. I continue to walk my own path of de-centering productivity and achievement in favor of a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.
As a clinician, my passion lies in working with emerging adults to target the impact of anxiety and engage in identity development to foster a better understanding of themselves, their values, and their goals. Through weekly sessions, using a variety of evidence-based modalities, I work with clients to develop coping skills, set healthier boundaries, and understand the ways that past life experiences, culture, and factors such as privilege and oppression can influence decision-making and overall wellbeing. I honor diversity, am LGBTQ+ affirming, and strive to be culturally sensitive.
Outside of work, I love exploring the outdoors with my golden retriever, spending time with family and friends, baking, and listening to podcasts.
Specialties
Anxiety/Acute and Chronic Stress/Panic
Perfectionism/Self-criticism/Self-esteem
Relationship Difficulties
Depression
Life Transitions
Adjustment Stress/Grief, Loss
Imposter Syndrome
Women’s Issues
Identity Development
Clinical Approach
I take a humanistic, non-pathologizing approach to therapy. I’m well-versed in a range of therapy models including:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Narrative Therapy
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Expressive Arts
Credentials
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Colorado: CSW.09930546
- Texas: License #113683
- Master’s in Social Work, The University of Georgia
- Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy, The University of Georgia
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin
The End
To keep reading, visit my blog here for my latest articles.