The Magic of Therapy
Do you feel like you’re carrying an extra weight on your shoulders? Maybe you're withholding parts of yourself out of fear of rejection or humiliation. Possibly you were raised in a high control religion and are constantly negotiating your thoughts and behaviors as a result. Perhaps you're a parent grappling with a recent or not-so-recent disclosure from your LGBTQ+ child or maybe you're in an LGBTQ+ relationship and have hit a tough spot.
Wherever you are, I think you've found the right place.
I believe that healing for most LGBTQ+ individuals happens when we embrace AND integrate our identities into all aspects of our lives. Strategic expression has been a survival tactic used for centuries but we now know this stress can lead to negative physical/mental health outcomes. My desire for you is to be seen, known and accepted for exactly who you; and for you to live a full and gratifying life.
Lauren Brown, M.A. LPC
About Me
Hi. My name is Lauren (she/her). I am a licensed professional counselor in Virginia and I'm passionate about helping LGBTQ+ individuals, families and their loved ones navigate through life transitions.
I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community and I'm deeply familiar with navigating intersections of multiple marginalized identities whether in myself, within my family and/or in our beautiful rainbow community. I believe the personal is the political and I am deeply committed to issues of social justice. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, reading, listening to a riveting book on audio, 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, multicultural, feminist and attachment-based therapies. My approach is highly collaborative and I'm known for my warmth and insightful demeanor.
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, DC (2019). I have extensive training in the area of trauma recovery and LGBTQ+ 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. In conjunction with the Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force, I offer trainings on LGBTQ+ inclusion/equity.
I have clinical experience with children as young as 5 years old through older adults in their 70's. I've traveled both nationally and abroad presenting on topics related to counseling LGBTQ+ individuals, LGBTQ+ 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' honoree.
I'm an active member of the Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force and my professional memberships include the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE) and the American Counseling Association (ACA).