Lauren K Mahakian, LCSW
(she/her/hers)
Preferred Name: Lauren
About Me
I believe in the incredible power of resiliency within each of us. All of us experience pain and hardships throughout our lives; some of which are easier to work through than others. I feel that with the right supports in place, we can all heal our deepest wounds. Supporting folks in finding connection, balance, and healing in life—true mental health—is my passion. I believe that living mindfully and authentically is the key to developing the connection that we are all craving: connection to the people closest to us, to our community, to our earth, to ourselves, to our lineage, and connection to that which is greater than us. Achieving mental health is, I believe, best reached through holistic means, as we are very complex individuals in a complex world. Utilizing what we know about the impact of traumas (old and new, big and less big) on the inner workings of the brain and body can be extremely helpful in reestablishing physiological balance within our entire system—an incredibly important aspect to our overall health and wellness. Additionally, shifting the narrative in our minds is another deeply important piece of fostering connection, as the often critical or distorted lens from which we view ourselves and others can cause significant pain and unbalanced energy within us, creating quite a barrier to vulnerability—a necessary state of true openness in order to find and feel connection. The internal turmoil created from these narratives, often stemming from traumas in life, can have a direct (or indirect) impact on how we treat our bodies including what we are consuming, and how much we are moving, two other major components of mental health and wellness. Creating and evolving our spiritual practice, I believe, is another critical part of what helps us foster connections and balance, and helps create a solid foundation on which we experience life. This is important when we are trying to heal ourselves, when we are navigating life's messes, and it's especially important for when we inevitably make decisions out of alignment with our highest selves and need the grace to get back to center. I find that integrating elements of psychology, human behavior, neurophysiology, movement & nourishment of our bodies, along with a development or deepening of our spiritual practice is a holistic and effective approach to finding the balance in life that leads us to acceptance which ultimately brings us peace. Perfection? No. But peace, absolutely. Within peace we find healing, and within healing we find peace. These are not destinations. but rather moments in life that, if we are mindful enough to catch them, can be beautiful and expansive to experience.
Education & Experience
Master of Social Work, University of Southern California (USC)
Professional & Volunteer Affiliations
Sacramento Medical Reserve Corps (volunteer) Special Olympics Northern California (volunteer) National Association of Social Workers (member)
Specialty Area
- Abuse/Neglect
- Anxiety/Panic Attacks
- Dissociative Disorders
- Grief/Loss/Mourning
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Sexual Abuse
- Spirituality
- Stress Management
- Traumatic Incident
Population Served
- Adults
- First Responders
- LGBTQ+
- Seniors
- Underserved
- Veterans/Military
Language
- English
Insurance
- Kaiser Permanente