Details

Who are you?

My name is Lauren and I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. I have worked in a variety of settings to include partial-hospitalization, intensive outpatient, outpatient, and online telehealth platforms. My clinical specialties include depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationship challenges, and life transitions.

I tend to see clients who are based outside the US and are dealing with mental health stresses. While I mostly focus on Americans living abroad, I do also see individuals of other nationalities as well. I live overseas (in Uganda), understand the overseas lifestyle and the unique pains and frustrations that come with it.

How about your credentials?

How does this all work?

Step 1 – reach out to me. You can shoot me a message through the contact form on the home page or book a free 15-minute consultation by clicking the button below.

Then what happens?

We talk. You tell me what’s been going on and I offer a listening ear. If what you’ve been experiencing is within my scope of practice (ie, specialties) and I seem like someone you would be comfortable talking to, we book you an intake appointment. That intake appointment will be much longer and more in-depth than our quick chat. I’ll ask you all sorts of questions about things that may or may not relate to what you’re most concerned about. Then, together, we figure out what it is that you want changed and come up with a plan to get you there. Unlike many doctors appointments, therapy is not prescriptive. I don’t tell you want you need to do in order to fix whatever is troubling you. WE discuss the issue and WE talk through ideas that may help. Ultimately, this is YOUR therapy. I follow YOUR lead. If there are areas you’re not ready to address, that’s okay. Let’s work on the areas you are ready to focus on.

That being said, change doesn’t magically come about on it’s own and growth doesn’t happen while you’re comfortably snuggled in your bed avoiding the world. Getting something out of therapy will take some work and it may not always feel good. But I will be there with you every step of the way, metaphorically holding your hand or giving you a little push, depending on what’s needed.

How do we do sessions?

All my sessions are done by video. I use a HIPAA-compliant video platform (ie, secure) that you can access via computer, phone or tablet. I always recommend wearing headphones that have a little mic included. It cuts down on noise and helps keep our sessions just between us. If possible, the connection is most stable if you’re using a laptop/desktop hooked up to your home network. You can use your phone and cell network, but the connection is a bit more spotty. If we have trouble connecting via the primary platform, I do have a couple of backups, and if absolutely necessary, we can fall back to audio-only.

At this point, most people have probably conducted some sort of video meeting and have some general familiarity with how it works. We stare at each other through a screen. Sometimes that’s weird, but at least you get to be where you’re comfortable. While we lose out on some of the vibe that you can feel when you’re in a room with someone, it’s less than you might expect. If you’re unsure about online work in a general sense, you could try the consult (also done by video) to see if it’s something you think you could be comfortable with.

**For those living in the US, I am only able to provide online therapy for those living in Maryland. If you live in one of the other states or territories but really just KNOW in the bottom of your heart and soul that I was destined to be your therapist, let me know – many states are making reciprocity easier than normal.

How much will all of this cost?

Initial consultation (20min) – Free!

Intake assessment (~90min) – $250

Individual therapy (50min) – $210

Couples therapy (50min) – $275

What about insurance?

I am considered an “out-of-network” provider by most insurance companies. If you would like to use your insurance benefits, I’d recommend that you contact your insurance company and first verify that your plan covers 1) mental health services and to what extent [some require a specific type of practitioner – a MD of PhD for example], 2) telehealth specifically 3) out of network providers [some insurers require that you ONLY work with clinicians on their list]. If it seems good to go, we proceed. You provide a credit card which is charged following each session, and then I send you something called a superbill, which is a specially formatted receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.