Contact Information
Phone: 630-522-3124
Email: leldridge@theocdandanxietycenter.com
Location: Oak Brook & Telehealth (Illinois)
Lauren’s Take on Treatment
“Working through resistance to change is something that I find rewarding; creating space to explore ambivalence and normalizing people’s fears for them are powerful tools that create a relationship of trust that leads to willingness and change. Treatment is an empowering process that brings patients back to the life they want and deserve, where they are no longer controlled by fears or anxiety, and it is an honor to be a part of that journey.”
Approach to Therapy
Lauren’s approach to treatment is integrative and collaborative. Her goal is to create a space for patients where they feel validated, understood, and safe to explore change. She balances a warm, empathetic approach with being straight-forward and direct, helping guide patients through the process of change. By understanding what is important to each patient and creating a plan for treatment that starts where they are at, Lauren gradually works with patients on facing their fears or challenging their worries. Along the way, she will help patients understand how their anxieties and fears work, and she will teach them skills that they can use to increase their ability to tolerate distress and regulate emotions. Her goal is that patients will be able to work through their presenting problem and continue to apply the skills they have learned to improve their life beyond the scope of treatment.
Experience and Training
Lauren received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Indiana University- Bloomington, and she went on to earn her master’s degree in Social Work at Loyola University in Chicago, where she also completed course work and training in substance use disorders to become a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Lauren has training and experience using the evidence-based interventions of Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She has worked in residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs, and she specializes in working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders, generalized anxiety and panic disorders, OCD, and other mood disorders.
Lauren enjoys presenting locally at schools and other settings, and she has done trainings for school staff on incorporating Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in schools. She has also been instrumental in educating and supporting schools in creating protocols for addressing non-suicidal self injury.
More About Lauren
Lauren is from the southwest side of Chicago. In addition to her work as a therapist, she is a certified Pilates instructor. She enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and going on walks with her two Standard Poodles.
