The Magic of Therapy
Do you feel like you’re carrying an extra weight on your shoulders? Maybe you are withholding parts of yourself out of fear of rejection or humiliation. Perhaps you're a parent grappling with a recent or not-so-recent disclosure from your LGBTQ+ child.
Wherever you are, I think you've found the right place.
I believe that healing for most LGBTQIA+ individuals happens when we embrace AND integrate our identities into all aspects of our lives. Additionally, research shows us that when LGBTQ+ people are accepted and affirmed by their communities - especially immediate family - they have better mental health outcomes.
You deserve to live an authentic and fulfilled life.
Lauren Brown, M.A. LPC
About Me
My name is Lauren (pronouns. she/her/hers). I am a licensed professional counselor in Virginia and I am passionate about helping LGBTQIA+ individuals, families and their loved ones navigate through life transitions. My approach is client-centered, culturally sensitive and collaborative as I partner with individuals in the creation of their desired narratives.
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am familiar with navigating intersections of sexual orientation and gender identity. I believe the personal is the political and I am deeply committed to issues of social justice. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, visiting local wineries and spending precious time with my wife and two children.
Theoretically speaking, my first love is narrative therapy. I believe that each individual is the expert on their own life and processing and re-writing the scripts that we've inherited can be a powerful pathway to healing. Furthermore, I use a mix between narrative, strengths-based, trauma-informed and attachment-based therapies.
I earned a BA in English, minor in Psychology, from Gardner-Webb University (2009), an MA in Womens Studies Gender Studies from Loyola University Chicago (2011) and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2019). I have extensive training in the area of trauma recovery and LGBTQIA+ issues. I have over 14 years of experience in mental health including women's transitional housing programs, sexual assault and domestic violence programs, interdisciplinary ACT teams, etc. I am a seasoned trainer and regularly provide community trainings on LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity.
I have clinical experience with children as young as 5 years old through older adults in their 70's. I have traveled both nationally and abroad presenting on topics related to counseling LGBTQIA+ individuals, LGBTQIA+ identity formations and diversity issues. I was most recently published in Counseling for Social Justice, 2018 edited by Courtland C. Lee. I was most recently recognized by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce as a 2024 '40 Under 40' Award recipient.
I hold a leadership position on the Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force. My professional membership includes the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE) and the American Counseling Association (ACA).