Getting to know Lauren
I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, with the latter being a Master’s of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor & Mental Health Service Provider (TN License # 3453) and a SYMBIS Assessment Certified Facilitator. I have completed Level 1 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and use Gottman Method Couples Therapy in my work.
In my first several years of practice, I worked with adult clients and their families who were receiving treatment for substance abuse disorders and addiction. Since then, I have also worked with college students as a counselor on UTC’s campus and taught in the Counselor Education Program as an adjunct faculty member.
My areas of interest for counseling include work/life balance, relationship issues, life transitions and development, recovery from unhealthy ways of coping—such as substance use, perfectionism, and co-dependency. I enjoy helping others improve their overall wellbeing, gain a better understanding of personal values and motivation, and learn new skills for decision making and communication, to name a few.
I work from an eclectic theoretical approach, utilizing what appears to work best for reaching the goals of the client I’m seeing. Cognitive-Behavioral, Family-Systems, and Somatic theories typically have the strongest influences. In working with clients, I like to spend time exploring both internal and external experiences. This means I believe in the importance of understanding our personal thoughts, emotions, actions, and sensations and how these aspects of ourselves influence each other. I also recognize that, as individuals, we live in families, communities, and the world around us, which impacts each of us and vice versa. The aim is for you to discover a path that most aligns with your values and feel empowered to embody and express your most authentic self.
If at any point, I find that I lack the competence to be of professional assistance to clients, I will provide culturally and clinically appropriate referral resources. If clients decline the suggested referrals, I will discontinue the counseling relationship.
For more information about the ethical guidelines I follow, please refer to the ACA Code of Ethics. For licensure information, contact the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors through tn.gov.
I can be reached via phone or email. Although I will do everything in my power to maintain your privacy, please be aware that I can not guarantee the confidentiality of emails received. I respond to calls and emails as promptly as possible, which is usually within 24 hours during the week, and 48 hours on weekends. If you have an emergency, do not call my office number—please call 911 or the Tennessee Statewide Crisis Hotline 1-855-274-7471 or go to your nearest emergency room.
About the Process
Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.
You have taken a very positive step by deciding to explore counseling. The progress you make depends largely on your willingness to engage in this process, which may, at times, be challenging. There are risks involved with counseling, as with any thing that brings about growth. You may be asked to confront uncomfortable emotions and thoughts and to discuss unpleasant aspects of your life. This process can bring on strong feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, etc. While this work may be challenging, the benefits of counseling are numerous. It often leads to a significant reduction in feelings of distress, increased satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, greater personal awareness and insight, increased skills for managing stress and resolutions to specific problems. But, there are no guarantees about what will happen. This will require an active effort on your part, both during and outside of sessions. What I can promise is that I am committed to coming alongside you and supporting you with empathy and a non-judgmental positive regard. Through the counseling process, my objective is to provide holistic counseling to help individuals and families manage life’s challenges, grow through learning more about themselves, and be empowered to make choices regarding their wellbeing.
The initial sessions will involve identifying the reasons you are seeking counseling at this time as well as a brief discussion of your background and parts of your history. Together, we will explore goals for our time together. Throughout the process, you can evaluate this information and make your own assessment about whether you feel comfortable working with me. If you have questions, we can discuss them whenever they arise. If you prefer, I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another mental health professional or provide referral information. More than anything, my goal is for you to find the best fit for your personal growth.
See what sessions I have to offer and pricing on the “Services” page. If you have questions, see if any are answered in the FAQ section, or feel free to contact me.
About the Office
My office is located at 620 Lindsay St #230, Chattanooga, TN 37403. For a map and directions, please visit my “Contact” page.
My office is located convenient to downtown, near UTC’s campus. It’s on Lindsay Street and the building sits between Vine and Oak Street. There’s parking available adjacent to the building and in the basement garage—just look for the spaces designated GUEST or metered parking on the street. If you’re arriving after 5pm, the front doors of the building will be locked, so you’ll need to enter through the elevator in the basement garage.
My office is on the 2nd floor of the building, accessible by stairs or an elevator. Once you arrive on the 2nd floor, you’ll see a hallway and you can find Suite 230 and the waiting room in the first door on your right down that hall.
Restrooms are accessible at the end of the hallway, so you’ll need to go past the door for Suite 230 to get there.
Once you arrive, you can have a seat in the waiting room until your appointment time. There’s a small kitchenette where you’re welcome to make a cup of coffee or tea. I’ll come out to the waiting room to meet you and walk back to the private office where we’ll have our session.
If you prefer to wait outside or in your vehicle, I ask that you contact me via text message so that I can meet you at the building entrance.