Lauren D. Smith (she/her)

Many people ask, “when is the right time to seek support?”

And the answer is really so different for everyone. I work with people in times of calm and also in times of crisis. Meeting with a therapist you trust can help you explore and problem-solve issues in your life and relationships that always seem to pop up when you least expect them. Perhaps you find yourself feeling stuck, or lost interest in the things you used to enjoy. Perhaps you are experiencing conflict in your relationship or going through a major life transition such as a move, a new job, a marriage, the birth of a child, a divorce, or loss of a loved one. Sometimes a therapist is needed to provide immediate support in the wake of a personal tragedy or trauma. All of these human experiences, even happy ones, can feel overwhelming and hard to navigate at times. A licensed psychotherapist can provide compassionate support and guidance by offering practical and creative tools to develop safety, self-confidence and overall well-being.

Many people seek therapy regularly as part of a personal wellness approach to maintain a sense of balance, creativity, perspective and connection and to seek acceptance of themselves and others.

Prior to private practice, Lauren worked for nearly a decade in acute medical environments such in hospitals and intensive care units for pediatric and palliative care teams. In this work, Lauren frequently worked with families who were coping with complicated and sometimes abrupt life changes, such as adjustment to a new diagnosis or coping with chronic illness. Lauren also became a trusted mental health resource for other healthcare providers and frontline workers, such as physicians, nurses and other mental health practitioners.

Lauren is a psychotherapist and art therapist in private practice. She is licensed in New York as a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) and New Mexico as a Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT). She also holds National Board Certification as an Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and is an Art Therapy Credentialed Supervisor (ATCS). Lauren has published and presented widely on the topics of grief and bereavement, childhood trauma, resilience and post-traumatic growth. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the graduate department of Art Therapy at Pratt Institute in New York City.