MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY ASSOCIATE
Pronouns: She/Her
Lauren’s journey of exploring mental health, relational dynamics, and trauma began early in life. She felt driven to understand how a person’s family, experiences, and culture shaped their values and personality. At Gonzaga University, she expanded upon this systemic perspective by pursuing a Bachelors of Arts. in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Religious Studies. She felt particularly drawn to working with survivors of relationship abuse and became an ambassador for the One Love Foundation, hosting public education and bystander intervention seminars. After some much-needed encouragement, she overcame her reluctance to attend therapy, and found it surprisingly helpful.
Lauren later earned a Master of Arts Degree in Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy from Lewis and Clark College, OR. She chose the program for its emphasis on social justice and systemic thinking, as she believes firmly in the intersection between sociology and psychology. Her theoretical orientation integrates strength-based and systemic therapies such as Attachment/Emotion Focused, Narrative, and Experiential. She also encourages use of mindfulness, strategic interventions, solutions-focused interventions, somatic work, and spirituality in session. While Lauren enjoys working with clients of all backgrounds and treatment concerns, she is particularly interested in working with neurodivergence, anxiety disorders, trauma, relationship development, life transitions, sexuality and identity.
Clients who work with Lauren can expect a collaborative approach that balances client autonomy with gentle challenges. Clients are encouraged to identify and explore patterns in relationships and narratives that no longer serve them. Sessions may also examine the influence of social, political, and cultural narratives on their identity and life experiences. She aims to cultivate an environment of warmth, authenticity, honesty, and humor that honors the client’s pace and safety. Because every therapeutic relationship will be different, Lauren strives to provide an atmosphere that welcomes transparent client feedback regarding power dynamics in the room, her therapeutic style, or the overall direction of sessions. Lauren believes that a therapist’s ultimate goal is to work themselves out of a job, meaning that the client will eventually be able to lean on their community and themselves in order to sustain growth.
Lauren Bouma is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate (MG.70046473; NPI 1003772559). She is Supervised by Kyle Anderson, LMFT (LF61356047; NPI #1447870571).
