For therapy and coaching, I work one-on-one with adults (age 18+) who are residents of NJ or NY. I am available for training and consulting internationally.

Currently, my practice is 100% virtual.

My work is primarily informed by my belief that people grow and thrive in relationships with others where they feel deeply understood and can see that they matter - and that we struggle and suffer when we are frequently invalidated, misunderstood, and overlooked. Additionally, I believe that our culture, heritage, and societal identities greatly inform our mental health experiences. Everything from our sense of self, expectations of others, worldview, and values can be influenced by our experiences of empowerment, affirmation, injustice & exclusion. To me, therapy can’t happen without a social justice lens.

I draw on psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and attachment-focused approaches to support clients to better understand how their life experiences have reasonably contributed to patterns in their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. I pair this with practical approaches, including DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), to provide clients with the knowledge and skills to make desired changes in the present.

From a relational perspective, I also invite clients to use our relationship as data. We can be curious about the ways your relationship patterns show up in our sessions (e.g. people-pleasing, avoidance, social anxiety, etc.) to learn more about how they may show up outside of session. This includes understanding how our similar or different identities contribute to a sense of safety or mistrust in our relationship. We can then look for opportunities for us to “do it differently,” so you can practice and process new ways of being in-the-moment.

I offer all therapy, coaching, and consulting clients a free 20-minute phone consultation prior to scheduling a first appointment. To schedule, please email me at: lauren@appioconsulting.com or fill in the form on the contact page.

We will use the time during our phone consultation to discuss your concerns, goals, any questions you may have, and possible next steps. If I am not a good fit for you for any reason, I have many wonderful colleagues who I can refer you to.

After our phone consultation, I will send you a link to my secure client portal so you can read and complete the initial paperwork that explains the policies of my practice. Please keep track of any questions you have and we can review them together when we meet.

Our first meeting is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, talk about your current concerns in more depth, and for me to learn more about your history. This allows me to better understand the dilemmas you are facing and for us to develop a plan to address your concerns that is completely tailored for you.

Before we meet, consider what changes you would like to see in your life and what information you think would be important for me to know.

I typically meet with therapy and coaching clients for weekly, 50-minute sessions. Some people prefer to meet on a short-term basis (3-6 months) to focus on resolving a specific concern. Others enjoy meeting with me over a longer period of time to address concerns at greater depth, or to have a nonjudgmental space to talk about life and career issues as they emerge.

No, I am an out-of-network provider and I am not on any insurance panels. My current fee for psychotherapy and coaching is $325 per 50 minute session. If you are seeking insurance reimbursement, please contact your insurance provider to review your out-of-network mental health benefits. Here are questions you can ask to learn more about your coverage:

• Do I have out-of-network mental health benefits?

• What is my deductible and has it been met?

• What percentage of my session fees will be reimbursed once I have met my deductible? Is this reimbursement based on my actual session fee or a “usual, reasonable, customary” rate determined by the insurance company?

• What number of sessions are covered per year?

• Do I need a referral from my primary care physician?

If you plan to make use of your out-of-network mental health benefits, I will provide you with a monthly statement to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.