Lauren Topel, LCSW

Lauren helps people move beyond the patterns that keep them stuck so they can feel lighter, more connected, and more in control of their lives. She works with clients navigating depression, anxiety, ADHD, and relationship challenges, drawing on approaches like the Relationship Recovery Process (RRP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and strengths-based techniques.

Lauren helps clients understand how the lessons we absorbed in childhood—when our brains weren’t fully developed—shaped the way we see ourselves and the world. Those lessons often protected us back then when we lacked power, but as adults with power, they often keep us stuck, repeating patterns that no longer serve us. Through her work, clients learn to recognize and update these strategies so they can feel more grounded, make better choices, and experience healthier relationships.

Clients describe Lauren’s style as supportive and empowering. She offers practical skills that can be implemented immediately, breaking things down into customized, manageable steps reinforced with handouts and optional homework. She sometimes helps people learn how to sit with and process their feelings instead of avoiding or suppressing them—a practice that allows emotions to be metabolized rather than stored. This work helps clients know how to navigate their lives with more clarity, feel more connected to themselves and others, and experience meaningful change that impacts all areas of their lives.

Education & Licensure

BA, Brown University
MSW, Jane Addams College
Three years of study in international professional groups with Patrick Teahan, LICSW, and Amanda Curtin, LICSW, founder of the RRP method
Licensed Clinical Social Worker in IL, FL, and MA