Lauren E Cleary, LPC, LPCC, LCAT, ATR-BC
(she/her/hers)
Preferred Name: Lauren
About Me
CURRENTLY FULL & UNABLE TO OFFER WAITLIST I see therapy as a collaborative process: you bring your lived experience, and I bring tools, knowledge, and presence to support you as both a guide and a compassionate witness on your journey. My integrative approach blends evidence-based practices with alternative modalities, including Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), relational cultural theory, mindfulness-based CBT, psychodynamic theory, and neuroscience principles. I believe in the power of combining creative and traditional therapies to help individuals navigate challenges. Using a strengths-based, collaborative approach, I aim to foster understanding, communication, and integration of experiences. Drawing from a diverse “tool bag” of training and techniques, my intention is to meet your unique needs and goals. Together, we may explore stressors and strengths, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and discovering different perspectives. At the same time, we may consider how your experiences may reflect the broader human condition, opening pathways to new perspectives and more adaptive coping. Deeply committed to social justice and anti-racism, I strive to be an ally by fostering ethical conversations and offering care grounded in cultural humility, compassion, and respect. I am LGBTQIA+, kink, and poly affirming, and I work to ensure best practices for each individual who entrusts me with their healing journey. My hope is to support the development of greater self-compassion, self-acceptance, and self-love. With a balance of clinical expertise, evidence-based practices, creativity, and humor, I seek to help clients build resilience, insight, and a deeper sense of self. Outside of work, you’ll likely find me playing with clay, immersed in music, reading, on a yoga mat, or exploring the outdoors. I welcome all races, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, abilities, ethnicities, and bodies. I welcome all people.
Education & Experience
I earned my Master’s degree in Art Therapy from The George Washington University in 2005, where my studies focused on multicultural perspectives and cultural responsiveness, ethics, end-of-life and bereavement, and the integration of art psychotherapy in trauma treatment. Since then, I have remained deeply committed to expanding my knowledge and skills through ongoing training and professional development. In March 2022, I completed advanced training in Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR through the Personal Transformation Institute and became certified as an EMDR Therapist through EMDRIA. My additional postgraduate studies include the structural theory of dissociation, somatic and mindfulness-based approaches to complex trauma treatment, polyvagal theory, crisis intervention, and assessment and diagnosis. I view continuing education not only as a professional requirement but as an essential part of providing the highest quality care. Each new training, workshop, or certification expands the 'tool bag' I bring into the therapy room, allowing me to better meet the unique needs of every individual who grants me the privilege of working alongside them. Grounded in cultural humility and equity-informed practice, I integrate this ongoing learning with a deep respect for each client’s lived experience. My education and training allow me to provide care that is both evidence-based and culturally responsive, honoring the diverse identities, backgrounds, and strengths of the people I serve.
Professional & Volunteer Affiliations
I am a Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR Certified Therapist through EMDRIA and a Full Member of EMDRIA. I am also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado, Oregon, and Pennsylvania; a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in Ohio; and a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist with the Oregon Health Licensing Office (HLO). In addition, I am a Registered and Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) and a Certified Clinical Telemental Health Provider. I maintain active memberships in the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), along with state and local professional networks. I regularly participate in clinical supervision and consultation groups, ensuring that I provide the highest level of ethical and effective care. In addition to my professional work, I have a long history of volunteer service and leadership within both the arts and mental health communities. I have served as Committee Member and Glaze Team Co-Lead for the Wellington Potters’ Association, and as an art therapist with Boulder Together, where I facilitated community-based healing projects such as Remembering the Flood: A Celebration of Our Resilience. Earlier in my career, facilitated expressive arts events for children with neuromuscular disorders at New York Presbyterian Children’s Hospital and led grief-focused art therapy groups for children at the Wendt Center’s Camp Forget-Me-Not in Washington, DC. I have also held leadership positions as President-Elect of the Potomac Art Therapy Association and Student Liaison to the American Art Therapy Association’s Governmental Affairs Committee, where I assisted and lobbied for Creative Aging: Beyond Words, an art therapy exhibition in the U.S. Senate rotunda. Beyond the arts and mental health fields, I have engaged in cross-cultural volunteer service through Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) and remain an active member of the National Marrow Donor Program registry.
Specialty Area
- Abuse/Neglect
- ADD/ADHD/Disruptive Behavior Disorders
- Alcohol/Substance Abuse
- Anxiety/Panic Attacks
- Autism Spectrum
- Bipolar Disorder
- Birth Trauma/Pregnancy Loss
- Brain Injury
- Chronic Illness/Medical Issues
- Chronic Pain
- Dementia
- Depression
- Dissociative Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Family Issues
- Gender Identity
- Grief/Loss/Mourning
- Marriage/Relationship Issues
- Mood Disorders
- Moral Injury
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
- Performance Enhancement
- Phobias
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Race, Culture, Ethnicity Issues
- Self-Harm
- Sexual Abuse
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Somatic Issues
- Stress Management
- Survivor's Guilt
- Traumatic Incident
Population Served
- Adults
- BIPOC
- Expats
- First Responders
- Immigrants
- LGBTQ+
- Seniors
- Underserved
- Veterans/Military
Language
- English
Insurance
- Kaiser Permanente
- Sliding Scale
Oregon Health Plan
