Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Gastorf
Hi Lauren, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I credit the origins of my career path to a soccer injury I sustained when I was 14 years. My knee was in bad shape, leaving me unable to walk. After surgery, I was in a full leg cast and had to use crutches for six weeks before beginning a lengthy rehabilitation program. I had always been an active person and this was the first time in my life I was restricted in movement and activity. On top of that, soccer was my passion and a big part of my identity at the time. I experienced depression and disordered eating as a result of the disruption the injury caused in my life.
Both physical therapy and psychotherapy were part of my recovery. Some of the healing from disordered eating took longer than the depression to resolve. I was grateful to eventually get back to soccer – and later track and cross country. Despite how difficult this period was, I remember learning a lot about myself. Throughout this experience I gained greater self awareness and appreciation for my body as well as a new respect for the importance of movement in well-being. I had the support of caring friends, family, teammates, and coaches during this time. I was also fortunate enough to have talented and compassionate doctors, physical therapists, psychotherapists, and dietitians helping me along the way. I felt called to support others undergoing hardship in some capacity.
Originally I planned to become a physical therapist. I chose to major in Kinesiology at The University of Texas at Austin, minoring in Psychology. I was drawn to psychotherapy as a profession but at the time I was afraid I would be too deeply impacted by the painful aspects of others’ journeys. I started to reconsider my plan after working in physical therapy clinics and noticing how drawn I was to patients’ stories. About that time a sports psychiatrist guest lectured in class. I reached out to him, asking a ton of questions about the mental health field. He was gracious enough to take the time to talk with me, share his experience in the field, and offer insight and guidance based on what I communicated I was interested in doing. I felt encouraged that the training and education I received enroute would prepare me for the emotional aspect of the work. I ultimately chose to pursue becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor.
I obtained my Masters in Counseling from the University of North Texas in 2011. I worked in a variety of settings before opening my private practice, Vitality Professional Counseling, LLC, in 2015. As much as I feared being impacted by this work, today I’m so grateful for how my clients impact me. Their resilience, tenacity, compassion, and strength have expanded my appreciation of humanity and added great meaning to my work and life. I can’t imagine being more fulfilled doing anything else.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Opening my private practice back in 2015 was a huge challenge, especially as a recovering perfectionist. I look back on myself almost ten years ago and remember how paralyzing the idea of making a mistake was, and I have a lot of compassion for myself. I wasn’t worried about providing therapy; it was the vast number of decisions that go into starting a business and running it that felt daunting. I remember feeling incredibly overwhelmed the first year or two. As time went on and as I got used to the ins and outs of private practice and became more connected to other mental health professionals, the anxiety of running a business diminished. I asked a lot of questions. I reached out frequently. I had the support of my husband, family, friends, therapist, colleagues, and consultants. Even in solo private practice, collaboration and community is essential. Today, I so appreciate being able to encourage therapists ready to launch into private practice for themselves. I’m always happy to share my experience if it can be helpful. You can do it!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) based in McKinney. I provide individual counseling to adults and supervision to LPC Associates.
I originally thought I’d primarily work with women and athletes recovering from eating disorders. Over the last 14 years, however, a lot of my experience has organically come to revolve around trauma treatment. While trauma work is my primary focus, I enjoy working with anyone who is curious, reflective, and committed to personal growth. Quite a few of my clients are trauma survivors, identify as highly sensitive people (HSP), or are other mental health professionals.
Some of the modalities I use in my practice include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Polyvagal Theory (PVT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Trauma Conscious Yoga Method (TCYM). I could totally nerd out on each of these and go into exhausting detail. (I’m always up for a conversation about the nervous system, attachment theory, and mind-body connection, to name a few topics!) In an effort to be concise, each of these techniques mentioned are somatic, helping the body and nervous system collaborate with the brain in psychotherapy. I love integrating these and other methods into my work, customizing the approach to fit each of my clients.
In the role of therapist and supervisor, it’s important I show up in an authentic, compassionate, direct, and encouraging way. This requires a commitment to taking care of myself outside of sessions and engaging in consultation, continuing education, and my own therapy. It’s never lost on me the courage and commitment it takes for people to engage in a therapeutic process. My goal is to deeply understand and uniquely support everyone I work with in finding peace, meaning, and purpose in their lives.
Pricing:
- $170/Intake Sessions
- $145/Regular 55 Minute Sessions
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vitalityprocounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/vitality.pro.counseling
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vitalityprocounseling/
Image Credits
Lauren Junker Photography (all images except lobby photo)
