The Therapist Behind Collaborative Psychological Services

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Lauren Woolley, Ph.D.
(pronouns she/her/hers)

Licensed Psychologist, PSY 23740
(858) 766-1179

I Provide Individual Psychotherapy For:

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (24+)

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I Love Supporting Individuals Struggling With:

Anxiety
Panic Attacks
Trauma
Perfectionism
Relationship Challenges

I Believe

You deserve relief from your suffering.
Growth can arise from pain.
You can build a meaningful life.

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If you're unsure if you need therapy, this article may help.

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Central Ideas in My Approach:

Emotional pain is not pathology (i.e., something wrong with you). It is a signal that a piece of your life needs attending to.
Uncovering and addressing the root causes of symptoms vs. just focusing on the symptoms leads to a greater reduction of pain.
Therapy can be a safe place to learn new skills to manage the challenging parts of life's journey.
Growth occurs when we feel safe and connected in our relationships, including the therapeutic ones.
No one should be alone in their pain.

My Goal Is To Help You Feel Better

I received my doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Texas Woman’s University and my master’s degree in School Psychology from Trinity University. I completed a postdoctoral residency at the University of California San Diego Counseling and Psychological Services Department and a predoctoral internship at the University of San Diego Counseling Center. I have worked in public education, university, community health, and private practice settings over the past 20 years. I was a contributor to the American Psychological Association Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women published in February 2018. I have chaired the San Diego Psychological Association's Women's Wellness Committee since 2021.

In my personal life, I enjoy spending time with my family, sailing, practicing yoga, creative writing, and giving my rescue pup belly rubs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect if I call you?

I will ask you some brief questions to learn about your difficulties, how they’ve been impacting you, and what you hope to gain from seeking therapy. I will also answer any questions you may have. Then, we will determine if my approach is a good fit for your needs. If we determine I am not the right therapist for you, I can often recommend resources to help you. The call typically lasts 15-20 minutes.

What takes place during the initial session?

When we meet, we will take some time to walk through the paperwork and clarify any questions or concerns you may have about my practice and my therapeutic approach (confidentiality, cancellation policies, etc.). Next, we will begin to explore the concerns that brought you to therapy, the distress you’re experiencing, and the ways you’ve tried to cope. We will start developing a plan for addressing your concerns and alleviating your pain. If you still feel that we are a good fit after our initial session, we can schedule ongoing sessions.

Do you offer in-person sessions?

Do you see men, transgender, and non-binary clients?

Do you see children/adolescents or couples?

If I schedule a phone consultation through your website, does that mean you have availability for new clients?

Do you offer a client communication portal?

I use the Simple Practice client portal for communication, scheduling, and billing. This online portal makes it easy for you to complete paperwork and communicate with me. You will have an opportunity to sign up and complete the necessary paperwork prior to our first session. Doing paperwork ahead of time allows us to maximize our time together. The client portal is also a safe, secure, and HIPPA-compliant way to communicate with me outside of sessions.

How long does therapy take?

Most of my clients see me once a week for 5-6 months. However, there are some situations in which meeting weekly longer than this period of time makes sense, given the presenting concerns. After that, we meet less often for several more months. Therapy then usually comes to an end. The process of ending therapy, called “termination,” can be a very valuable part of our work and well worth spending our time on. Stopping therapy should not be done casually. However, either one of us may decide to end it if we believe it is in your best interest.

Is there free parking at your office?

Do you accept insurance?

I am currently accepting Lyra Health at Collaborative Psychological Services. Although I am an in-network provider for Aetna, I am not currently accepting new Aetna clients at this time. If you would like to find an Aetna provider, please click here. If you have another insurance provider, my services do qualify as out-of-network benefits (OON). I am happy to provide a receipt or Superbill you can submit to your insurance company if they reimburse for out-of-network (OON) providers.

Every insurance company is different, and it is important that you contact your insurance company before our first session to find out if they accept OON providers and what percentage they reimburse when you see someone out of network. You would continue to pay me for each session, but at the end of the month, I would provide you a Superbill which you can send directly to your insurance company to submit for reimbursement.

You can see if you have out-of-network coverage by logging into the insurance company's website or by calling the number on the back of your card. Here is a step-by-step guide with a list of questions to ask in case this is helpful: http://bit.ly/2y0Uvb0
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions about this process. I’m happy to assist you and provide guidance about how to communicate with your insurance provider about your benefits and reimbursement.

Are there any treatment concerns beyond your scope of practice?

I am not positioned to treat moderate-to-severe eating disorders or active alcohol or drug dependence. Given I am a solo clinician, my ability to provide urgent or after-hours care is limited. Hence, I am not situated to treat people who are acutely suicidal, recently released from in-patient treatment, at elevated risk for violence, experiencing active mania or psychosis, or severely incapacitating health conditions. These conditions typically require a successful course in in-patient or intensive outpatient treatment before being stepped down to an outpatient setting. Here are some resources to help if you need care that is beyond the scope of my practice.

Collaborative Psychological Services