Lauren Vicari, MSW

Supervisee in Social Work

Mental Health Therapist at VBCC

Evening and Weekend Sessions Available

Is your teen having struggles with anxiety, depression or relationships?  Virginia Beach Clinical Counseling is here for your teen.   I am a trauma-informed therapist committed to providing children, adolescents, and adults with a safe space where they feel heard. My approach is collaborative and I use skills such as active listening and empathy to assist clients in developing their self-awareness. I use diverse treatment modalities such as CBT, DBT, TF-CBT, CPT, and ACT to help clients address and accept underlying thought patterns while promoting emotional regulation for trauma responses. I encourage clients to express their emotions through art, narration, anxiety-reduction techniques, talk, or pet therapy.

With a background in healthcare for both inpatient and outpatient settings; I have expertise working with every developmental age from birth to death. I bring professionalism and warmth to my work by being authentic and offer a non-judgmental zone to help clients navigate daily stressors. I execute this by empowering clients to see their strengths and enhance their level of functioning in every aspect of their lives. With teens, I include parents in the treatment plan to increase communication and support.

I am currently a student in NYU’s virtual Post-Masters Veterinary Social Work Certificate Program. For my MSW, I attended the NYU Silver School of Social Work Graduate Program and concentrated on Clinical Generalist Practice. Prior to attending NYU, I went to Adelphi University for my bachelor’s degree in social work. While at Adelphi, I was the President of the Social Work Club and made the decision to become a mental health therapist. My passion, commitment, integrity, and competence for the social work field as a student provided me with the opportunity to serve on the Bachelor of Social Work Committee and earn an award from the National Association of Social Workers. I am enthusiastic about helping clients take the next step in their healing journey. 

Outside of work, I enjoy playing with my cats, spending time with my family, and going to the beach.