Meet Lauren Spinelli, LCSW

A note from Thrive's founder, Dr. Erica Wollerman: 
Welcome to our latest blog series!  Since I am often the one writing our Thrive blogs, I wanted to make sure that our readers would be able to also get to know the amazing team I work with at Thrive. I am so grateful to work with each of these therapists and they each offer our clients something special. Since we have a team of 6, we will be sharing these blogs over the coming summer weeks! 

​Tell us about you and why you wanted to become a therapist. My name is Lauren and I am excited to be a therapist at Thrive Therapy Studio! I knew I wanted to become a therapist from a very young age. My interest was sparked as I was growing up with my brother and learned of his diagnosis of autism and anxiety. Since then, I have become increasingly interested in what made my brother different and his various methods of coping and treatment. I was always so intrigued with what went on behind closed doors when he was with his therapist. It was incredible to see the positive impact that therapy had on him, and I was inspired to help others in the same way.

What do you love about being a therapist? I absolutely love being a therapist; it fills me with so much joy and gratitude! This career is designed to improve individuals quality of life, and I cannot think of anything more rewarding. I love that I get to do work that is meaningful and transformative for others, while simultaneously supporting and facilitating my own personal growth. I feel so privileged to be part of their journey  as I watch my clients grow and share in their obstacles and successes. Their strength and resilience is truly inspiring.

How would you describe yourself as a therapist? I am supportive, empathic, engaging and collaborative. I utilize warmth and authenticity to create a non-judgmental environment. I help clients create a toolbox of skills to use in times of distress, and provide a safe environment for self-exploration and growth. I am here to challenge, support, and empower my clients!

Who do you love working with in therapy? I absolutely love working with all ages, and have experience doing therapy with individuals from age 5 to 75! It is so exciting for me to watch people at all stages of life change, heal, grow, and achieve their goals. My areas of specialization include anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, substance use, relationship issues, school/work issues, social skills, self-esteem, stress, and overall self-growth.

Do you have a particular theory or framework that guides your work as a therapist?  If so, describe it and tell us why you use that. Because every individual is unique, I utilize various evidence based modalities of therapy customized to meet my clients needs. My therapeutic approach is integrative, as I blend elements from different frameworks, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, trauma-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness-based interventions.

Share one thing you are passionate about in your professional or personal life. I am extremely passionate about traveling; I have visited 25 countries! Some of my favorites include Iceland, Morocco, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Norway and Cambodia.  It is fascinating to explore various cultures, meet new people, and immerse myself in completely different environments. Through my travels, I have discovered a lot about myself and I am excited to continue to explore new places!

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For more information about Lauren, please check out her bio here! If you would like to schedule an appointment with Lauren, please also feel free to call our main number and ask for her or fill out our contact form here and note that you would prefer to work with Lauren!