Lauren Bark

Marriage & Family Therapist Trainee

My name is Lauren Bark (she/her) and I theoretically orient myself as a Psychodynamic and Person-Centered clinician. I believe in creating a safe, trusting, and authentic atmosphere that is collaborative between the client and the therapist. I bring a gentle and compassionate approach to my work by navigating your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with kindness and patience. I recognize the importance of self-love, self-understanding, listening and connecting to your body, and growing a stronger relationship between you and yourself. While I believe therapy and self-discovery are beautiful, I also know that vulnerability and discussing the hardest parts of ourselves is scary. I hope to navigate those challenging moments alongside you as another human being.

Some of my clinical interests are anxiety, emotion/mood regulation, self-esteem and confidence, self-exploration, relationship issues, communication, stress management, identity, trauma, ADHD, and more.

In my free time, I like to try cooking a new recipe, surround myself with nature, and listen to a podcast or read a thrilling mystery novel. I also really enjoy comedy, and can't help but infuse a little humor in everything I do. After all, laughter is a universal language!, and I believe there is therapeutic value in humor and sharing a laugh!

Education

BA in Psychology at Sonoma State University 

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Sonoma State University