Lauren Spencer (she/her/hers)

Upcoming Online Marriage Seminar, November 19th! Register today! In marriage, we choose to be on another person's team for the long haul, no matter what life stressors we face. For many small, and at times big, reasons, couples forget that they're on the same team. In couples counseling, the focus is not only learning better ways of handling conflict, but also increasing the ability to express fears, desires, and emotions to your partner.

Grief is one of the most crushing human emotions. It has a way of opening our eyes to what is important in life, but does so in incredibly painful ways. Grief counseling focuses on honoring the grief journey and all the emotions that come with it. I join you on the road you never wanted to walk and listen as you process your hurt, sadness, anger, and loneliness. Though grief does not have a final destination, I walk with you as its weight eventually eases as it becomes part of your story.

I help anxious perfectionists find contentment through self-acceptance. I have found perfection and anxiety to be two sides of the same coin. When you feel anxious, you're more likely to demand perfection from yourself, and when you demand perfection from yourself, I guarantee anxiety is knocking at your door. I believe letting go of perfection is integral to living a full life. Together, we will work toward loosening the grip of perfection and decrease your overall anxiety.

Few things in life are more exciting than finding your partner and planning your future together. One of the most important steps in achieving that future is ensuring you have a solid foundation, which is why I am a big encourager of premarital counseling. Some things we'll cover: Conflict styles Family Background/In-laws Finances Intimacy And more.

When anxiety, panic, and OCD are controlling your life, decreasing their holds is the primary goal. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides tools to do just that. We work on how your thoughts influence your emotions and behaviors and incorporate mindfulness. Depending on how the anxiety is presenting, we may do some exposure therapy. If OCD is what brings you to counseling, then Exposure-Response Prevention and/or Inference-based CBT (offshoots of CBT) will be the main treatment approach.

When we feel safe and secure in our relationships, we are better able to courageously explore our worlds. In EFT, we work on improving the security of your attachments by delving into your core fears, emotions, and desires in a safe environment. Doing so allows for moments of great connection, making this a great fit for marriage, premarital, and family counseling.

OCD is simultaneously one of the most common and most misunderstood mental health disorders. As someone who has personally suffered from the disorder, I am passionate about my clients receiving research-backed treatment, including Exposure-Response Prevention, Acceptance-Commitment Therapy, and Inference-Based CBT. Please know that OCD is recoverable! You deserve to live a full life, and you can.

ACT informs the underlying goal I have for every client I work with: get you back to living a values based life. Because of the nature of the symptoms of anxiety, when anxious, we quickly stop living in accordance with our values, which then influences our self-esteem, as well as perpetuates anxiety. ACT also incorporates mindful living and creating space for painful emotions instead of pushing them away in order to finally heal. This therapy can be used with many diagnoses.

Few experiences in life incite the same terror as a panic attack, and fearing panic's return creates an endless cycle of living in fear. So, so often this leads to lives shrinking for fear of a panic attack, yet this avoidance only perpetuates the cycle. For this reason, I approach treating panic attacks and Panic Disorder with Acceptance-Commitment Therapy. In doing so, we will target the fear you have of the symptoms themselves, decrease your overall anxiety levels, and help you live fully.

Do you miss your partner even though you see them all the time? Or maybe your relationship is thriving in the romance department but you can't seem to talk about the hard stuff. When your marriage is struggling, it's as though every area of your life is in turmoil. Every fiber of your being wants things to go back to normal, but it feels impossible to reconnect. That's where couples counseling comes in. Together, we open the door to important conversations while fostering deeper connection.

Few professions can be as rewarding as therapy, yet few can be as exhausting. So many therapists struggle to extend the same compassion they give their clients to themselves, leading to constant self-doubt. Many also find themselves on the edge of burnout, but blame themselves for not handling their stress better. As a therapist for therapists, I strive to help my clients set successful boundaries, process the emotions they carry, and bolster their own self-esteem. You deserve a listening ear.