Lauren Donato Psychotherapy, LMHC

Since I was a young girl, I knew I wanted to help people. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how mental illness impacts people and their families. This provided me with empathy and an understanding of mental illness from an early age. As I grew, I discovered that I had a desire to give a voice to people who did not have one. This led me to work with people experiencing developmental disabilities. I have worked in group homes for over 18 years and I learned so much about mental health, the world, and myself through my work with this population. There was a point in my life where I suffered from infertility, which led me on a new professional path. After taking a postgraduate course in reproductive counseling, I started to turn my pain into purpose. Through my professional journey, I began to realize that working with people means working with trauma. I began to learn more about trauma-informed techniques. I also started working with people suffering from depression and anxiety disorders.

When working with me, you should know that I value involving you in the plan for treatment, creating a safe space, and working on goals that you set for yourself. I believe in the importance of homework when applicable. To begin, I will ask if you prefer a 10-minute phone consult, an email consult, an intake form, or a discussion with intake questions at your first session. I will ask you to rate your progress toward goals on a monthly basis so we can measure progress and determine if we need to change your goals or treatment techniques. I enjoy working with clients who are motivated to put the work in. I like to think of therapy as a gym for your mind, so you will need to do some work in order to see results. I am happy to provide you with motivation and support during your workout!

Telehealth has allowed so many more people to have the opportunity to access mental health care. During the pandemic, I completed a clinical telemental health provider certification. I am very excited to be able to provide more people with mental health support while also being able to work remotely!