Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Lauer, LISW-S.
Hi Brittany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I knew I wanted to be a social worker when I was 12 years old and was watching an episode of Punky Brewster. I wanted to be the person who visited with the adoptive father and daughter and saw how happy they were. As an adult in the field of social work, the reality is there are a lot of hard times before you get to the good times, but there is definitely an adrenaline rush at the end of the sessions when you know you have helped someone feel better.
Coincidentally, my first job after graduate school was in private adoption. I primarily worked with birth moms. My next job was at an elementary school, providing school-based therapy. I worked with the kids, their parents, and their teachers.
I left work to focus on my family. I had boy/girl twins first and it was a big adjustment. I had another daughter and son after that. What I thought was going to be a few years off before they started preschool turned into 10 years.
I eased back into the field by providing online therapy as a contract worker. It was definitely different working online, and primarily with adults and some teens.
I started my own private therapy practice in 2022. This is not something I ever thought I would do and yet I can’t imagine doing anything else. I was at a social event and the parents were complaining about their jobs, but they said they were stuck because of the benefits, etc. Someone looked at me when I wasn’t chiming in, and said, “You love your job, don’t you?” I do! I am so fortunate to work in a field that comes naturally to me. I’ve never been good at talking about the weather in social settings. I always jump right into getting to know someone below the surface. Now I get to do that for my job!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t know many people who would say they had a smooth road to success. It’s terrifying to struggle, and yet that’s how we figure out what we want. I would still say being a stay-at-home mom is my primary identity. To be able to run my private practice and provide the service I provide in addition to that is such icing on the cake.
I left private adoption because of the emotional toll it took on me. I was young and didn’t know how to separate my life from my job. Afterwards, it was incredibly difficult to transition to school-based therapy. There were very long, unpaid hours while I figured it out.
When I returned as a contract worker, the emotional toll I experienced in adoption crept back in. I had to learn all the coping skills I teach my clients, including boundaries and self-care. Then when I started my private practice, I noticed the long hours seeking perfectionism returning. That was tough to navigate, because in the past, it was just my own self-care I was ignoring. Now I have to balance work, self-care, my relationship with my spouse, and our four children. I continuously need to sort through my identity and make prioritizing decisions to find balance.
Like I tell my clients, it’s a journey and as much as I would like there to be an end destination where I have it all figured out, that’s not reality. It’s a continual process of learning how to balance.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Client Centered Therapy Services?
It can take time to find the right mental health therapist. Not only do you want someone competent, but you want someone you connect with. You’re sharing the deepest, darkest, most sensitive parts of yourself with this person. You want someone you can trust and feel comfortable being vulnerable with.
That is what I offer-quality, connection, and impact. I want to get to know you as much as you want to share your story with me. I am fully present in your sessions. I have an intention to guide you towards your goals each time we meet. I listen. I remember. I hold space for you. I do so without judgement, and I adjust to each individual client.
I named my practice Client Centered Therapy Services because that’s what it is, client centered. I start where the client is, and I don’t rush the process.
I keep my practice intentionally small because I want to give each client my full attention. As a therapist and a mom of four, I understand the importance of finding balance. While my official office hours may be limited (Wednesday and Thursday from 8am to 3pm), clients are able to reach me throughout the week by phone, text, or email-and I will respond thoughtfully.
I want therapy to be accessible and sustainable. I keep my fees intentionally low because I know firsthand how quickly the cost of care can add up. Like many of my clients, I also pay out of pocket for therapy for my own family. By keeping my office virtual, I can make my support available to more people. Clients can choose a session frequency and schedule that fits their budget.
I specialize in working with people navigating anxiety, life transitions, parenting struggles, ADHD, and more. I show up as myself, with honesty, compassion, and my own story sprinkled in when appropriate. So many clients come to me thinking they are the only ones, and I am here to let them know they are not alone.
Any big plans?
I am looking forward to offering hybrid appointments in the future. I absolutely thought I would have an office by now so that I could see both virtual and in person clients. The reality is, the only way to offer my services at all with four young kids is to keep my practice virtual for the time being.
One advantage of being virtual is that it helps to keep my fees low. Another advantage is that clients can meet me from anywhere. I have clients who connect from the phone in their car, from the computer at home during their lunch break, or even from the conference room at their work. Clients who were hesitant to start virtually end up preferring it due to the flexibility, and with no travel time to factor in, the smaller time commitment.
Pricing:
- $100 per session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.clientcenteredtherapyservices.com
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1101818
