Cognitive Behavioral (CBT) Therapists in Silver Lake, CA

In this time of intense uncertainty and stress, feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, isolation and burnout are pervasive. So many of us can identify with having difficulty concentrating, making decisions, motivating, and following through. I specialize in anxiety, OCD, ADHD, high-stress careers, the entertainment industry, relationships and life transitions. I work with my clients to identify strengths and blocks; build executive functioning, coping skills, and self-esteem; move towards goals; and create lasting change. Life is stressful... But it can also be rich, meaningful and full of possibility. I am here to help!

At Mending Souls mission is to assist and facilitate the growth of each individual, couples and/or families where life goals and generational conflicts are resolved in a safe and non judgmental environment. At Mending Souls we strongly believe that every individual has their unique qualities and inner strengths that once genuinely listened to, challenged and repaired through treatment in therapy one can not only heal and thrive but regain their self worth and live life to their fullest potential.

I work with primarily adults, couples and adolescents. My work is to help you in meeting your potential and increasing abundance in all areas of your life. Working together in learning how to navigate thoughts, feelings and actions in difficult and non difficult times. Navigating to enhance your potential in relationship to everything, helping to ultimately increase your integrative sense of self, self worth and motivation to move.

A client once told me, "If you have someone to whom you are willing to confess the foolish things you do, then count yourself among the blessed." Life can be hard, let's talk it out together. I understand that choosing a therapist is a difficult decision. Being a good match to your specific needs is important to me. My goal is to make the process as comfortable, safe, and simple as possible. Therapy is a collaborative process and I want to be on your team.

My style of therapy is one that is both collaborative and supportive. I believe that all individuals have the capacity to make lasting changes in their lives. I help the individual tap into those abilities by challenging the conscious and unconscious barriers that can impede growth and change. Using psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral techniques, I provide a safe, nurturing environment where individuals can explore their challenges and unearth their full potential.

Do you struggle with constant worry and perfectionism? Does anxiety affect your ability to connect with others and your life in a meaningful way? Are you going through a current life transition or stressor with which you are struggling to adapt? Difficulty in your current relationships? Through my years providing therapy and supervising students who are learning how to become therapists, I have developed an expertise in these areas. I provide Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and exposure therapy.

As a therapist, it is my sole intention to assist you in nurturing your own unique insight. When I'm in conversation with my clients, we work together to name and understand the issues that trouble them. I assist them in confronting the barriers to a more enjoyable life, and together we discover what needs to change, or what can be more peacefully accepted. I am primarily a "talk" therapist. My clients have described me as "down to earth" and "personable." I also use Cognitive Behavioral techniques in order to change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior.

Welcome! I'm Lauren, and I'm looking forward to meeting you. The clients I see come to me for a variety of reasons. Some are having trouble adapting to a change or transition in thier life. Others are seeking to increase motivation or gain insight into patterns they would like to change. I've helped clients navigate tough relationship issues, develop better self confidence, and improve thier feeling of purpose during difficult times. I utilize an eclectic approach, incorporating cognitive behavioral, narrative and person centered therapy in order to help my clients feel better able to cope with what life throws at them.

My approach is warm and collaborative. I think that humor can be incredibly healing and I incorporate it when appropriate. I strongly believe that it's the authentic connection between the therapist and the client that ultimately is the most healing aspect of therapy - so my first priority is always creating a safe, cozy space where you can feel seen and understood without judgment. Once this is established, I focus on supporting your feelings, helping you reach new insights, and guiding you toward solutions to help you meet your goals.

My approach to working with you in therapy would encompass all registers of your experience, including non-verbal communication, the body, and the mind. In my way of working, developing an understanding of where and how feelings are actually felt is as important as understanding cognitive distortions and negative thought patterns. I listen to every which way you communicate. Psychotherapy can be used in myriad ways, short or long-term. Often when distressing symptoms have abated, psychotherapy shifts to become something more deeply self-reflective and meaningful.

Everybody has a story worth telling. I offer a safe space for you to share that story. Unfortunately, sometimes what has happened in your life or younger years can strongly affect your present moods and behaviors. I have a trauma-focused approach to therapy and am an EMDR Certified Therapist through EMDR International Association. I have extensive experience working with elderly people and people with chronic and or terminal illnesses. I enjoy working with a culturally diverse client population and am supportive of the LGBTQ community.

Therapy helps us properly take care of ourselves, but it isn't the same thing for everyone. It should be adaptable to our situations. It can be brief and solution-focused - or it can also be more lengthy to tackle various long-standing issues. You will find both in my office. I provide clients a warm and welcoming space to grow, heal, and explore. I invite you to please visit my website for additional information about my background, what you can expect as a client, and testimonials.

I help men and couples get unstuck in their relationships. As a man you may be struggling to feel and communicate your emotions, while simultaneously living with a great deal of stress. You may avoid conflict in order to not rock the boat. Self-doubt and an inner critic keep you feeling like you don't know where you're going (personally and professionally) and like you're never enough, leading to burnout. You want to feel confident, connected, have clear purpose, and to relish that thing they call joy. If you're a couple, we will work towards similar feelings of secure functioning. I want you two to feel safe, light, and powerful.

If obsessions and compulsions are getting in the way of you living your life fully, I'm so glad you're here, and I would be honored to support you. Living with OCD can make it challenging to show up in your relationships, to do your job, and to show up in life. I use evidence-based treatments, including Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), to help my clients change their relationships with their thoughts and unwanted compulsions so they can get back to life.

If you're worried about your teen, I am ready to help. Having spent years working with young adults and adolescents who are struggling, I am skilled in providing support in a caring, non-judgmental way. Together I work with clients to lay down the groundwork of self-compassion to build healthier thinking, behaviors, and relationships. Over time, my teen clients have more insight and skills to use in their daily lives. My experiences working in residential substance abuse and eating disorder facilities have helped me connect with teens and develop an arsenal of skills to assist even the most withdrawn adolescent.

You are a complex being. You've had painful life experiences that continue to impact you even though you don't want them to. You may find yourself feeling stuck, reacting in ways that don't make sense, and reliving past experiences over and over in your thoughts or even in your dreams. Fear comes out of nowhere, and it is exhausting being on guard all the time. It may feel like you can't trust anyone, sometimes not even yourself. But healing is possible. You deserve joy, peace, and deep healing. When you heal, you heal the generations before and after you.

Perhaps you are down, stressed, struggling with triggers from traumatic memories, unsure about the future of a relationship, trying to adjust to a new chapter of your life, or just feel that you aren't living the life you were meant to live. Whatever your needs may be, I am here to offer the support you need in a safe and non-judgmental manner. Therapy is a process of growth and self-discovery, and in my sessions I promote behavioral transformation by encouraging the adoption of new perspectives and reactions.

I specialize in trauma & PTSD in adults. I also offer supervision, training and consultation. People often come to me with deep feelings of shame, guilt, fear, sadness accompanied with intrusive thoughts, feeling on guard or distant from the joys in life, struggling with esteem, relationships and trust. There's often profound sense of "stuckness". Some have tried therapy for years with minimal relief. For others this is their first time addressing their trauma. A life without these symptoms seems unreachable- but it's not.

People often think therapy is a place to vent; it definitely CAN be that - validation is important. Therapy is also a place where you are challenged to see things differently, face your fears and take steps toward creating the life you deserve. It can be scary, which is why having a therapist is so helpful. I'm not here to tell you what to do, but I will point out the barriers in your way (even the ones you might be accidentally putting there yourself), so you can overcome them. Therapy can be long-term, but it doesn't have to be. Part of my job is to help you become your own therapist, so you don't need me as much (or at all!)