Hi, I'm Lauren Schroeder and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Fort Collins area and online sphere. I received my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Child and Adolescent Concentration in 2020 from Lewis University and my Bachelors in Forensic Psychology from St. Ambrose University. Fun fact about me, I originally wanted to become an FBI profiler but then decided to switch tracks after realizing that "Criminal Minds" and "Mindhunter" were good as TV shows but not as my actual life. 

During my undergraduate program, I had the honor of working with teens that were involved in the criminal justice system in order to support them in navigating the stressors of being a part of the system, home lives and school. Then during my graduate program, I received the opportunity to work in a specialized family therapy program in Illinois that worked with families navigating high conflict divorces, along with working with children and adolescents that were involved in the child care system. Through these experiences, I fell in love with being able to provide space for those who don't always get to feel seen and heard, which has become one of my biggest values as a therapist. Providing a space that my clients can show up authentically themselves and know that they will be seen, heard and accepted. 

After these experiences in the midwest, my soul felt called to move to Colorado and be grounded into a slower pace of life and nature. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I was ready for a new start and NoCo seemed like the perfect place to do that! Since being in Colorado, I have done a combination of outpatient therapy work and SOMB therapy work. The blend of these two positions has allowed me to further my understanding and support of the impacts of trauma, depression, anxiety, along with other societal factors that impact our humanness. 

A supervisor once said to me: "therapy is like hiking, if you have the wrong pair of hiking shoes you aren't going to make it very fair, but with the right pair of shoes you can get to your destination." I like to tell my clients that I am that pair of shoes, I need to be a good fit for you in order to be able to support you in meeting your goals. I strongly believe that success in therapy begins with having a strong and healthy relationship with your therapist. If I want my clients to feel welcomed to be authentically themselves, I also need to do so. So to keep it real, a few things to know about me are:

- I've been in therapy since I was a teenager, so I truly understand what it's like to be on the client side of things.

- I was diagnosed with ADHD in the past year, which means that I will never sit still during our session.

- I am also a first time mom, who is navigating numerous challenges to my personal and professional identities. 

To the therapy space, I bring a sense of humor (and sarcasm when appropriate), directness, realness, empathy, curiosity and humility. I feel especially called to working with teenagers, young adults and adults who are navigating periods of transition, identity exploration, depression, anxiety, neuro-spiciness, and trauma. Whether we are in my office, virtual or taking a walk, I aim to create a warm and inviting space where you talk when you need to, color/create when you need to or just cry it out when needed. Clinically, I use a combination of therapeutic interventions in order to find the best fit for my clients. Some of these interventions include: cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectic behavioral therapy, somatic therapy, narrative therapy, play therapy informed, internal family systems informed, art therapy informed and mindfulness interventions. I invite clients to provide me with feedback so that we can ensure that we are engaging in ways that are supporting the growth that you want to see. 

Outside of therapy, I am working on finding my new identity as being a working mom which means exploring new hobbies like yoga, running and cooking. I love spending time with my kiddo and partner and making those core memories. You can often find us hiking, off-roading, or taking a motorcycle ride. I enjoy my solo time to include reading, zoning out with some Netflix shows or coloring. With family and friends, I love trying out new food/drink places and playing games. We also have a zoo of animals that includes two dogs, a tortoise and tree frog. 

I look forward to being able to co-create a space of authenticity, vulnerability and humor with you!