Lauren Salerno, LMHC
Creating, Coping, and Connecting
Expressive Art and Psychodynamic Talk Therapy with Lauren Salerno.
I offer Neuro-affirming and Gender-affirming care to residents of Washington (18+).
Currently accepting clients in Washington State.
I run my therapy practice virtually through Headway. Please click the link below for more information around current openings and how to book.
About Me
Arizonian in the PNW
I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and relocated to Portland, Oregon in 2019. I came to counseling after having spent many years doing a variety of different kinds of creative jobs, including working as a teaching artist and mentor for Free Arts of Arizona. Through this job I was able to meet an art therapist and see the possibility of integrating creativity into mental healthcare.
I am a neurodivergent mixed media artist with a background in portraiture, painting, ceramics, theatre, and design. I bring a mix of perspectives and professional experiences to my work as a therapist.
When I am not working or arting I am exploring the area, enjoying time with friends, and snuggling with my pets. I have a three-legged Jack Russell Terrier named Josephine, and two playful tuxedo cats named Charlie and Baby Billy.
My Practice
A mix of neuroscience and creativity.
My approach uses a foundation of trauma-informed neuroscience to facilitate emotional processing, traumatic integration, and self-expression. I currently work virtually and have great results engaging in these practices with telehealth.
I utilize concepts from EMDR, CBT, DBT, Gestalt, IFS, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing to cater directives that are unique to the person. This might look like creating a playlist to describe a specific event, bilateral scribble drawing to release emotion, creative writing prompts, and collaging using words or images.
My current practice includes adults (18+) that are processing trauma, managing PTSD, ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, and people seeking gender-affirming care.
Art Therapy Q&A
Common questions I get…
What is art therapy?
Art therapy is a specialized approach that uses expressive techniques to support a client in externalizing their internal experience and make meaning of their thoughts and feelings.
Do I need to be 'artistic' to do art therapy?
Definitely not. This kind of therapy is meant to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their preexisiting skillset. The creativity is in the making and not in the result. It is also important to say that none of my clients HAVE to do art therapy, and some prefer to stick with more traditional 'talk-therapy' in session, which is also great!
Do you work with children/teens?
I tend to work best with adults and currently only see clients that are 18+, that being said, there are several incredible art therapists who work with children that I am happy to refer people to!
Do you take insurance?
I am currently paneled with Providence, Regence Blue Shield of Washington, Aetna, Carelon, and Cigna insurances. I also work on a sliding scale cash rate.