Morgan Lavender, LCMHC, CCTP

I am committed to helping teens, young adults and parents cope with difficult emotions, behaviors and experiences through a mind/body, trauma informed approach to help improve control, stress reduction and positive coping skills.

I strive to create a laid back, warm and welcoming environment with my clients. I believe the relationship is the most important part of therapy, and I spend a lot of time getting to know my clients, ensuring they feel comfortable and understood, so that we can work as a team to enhance growth.

During my time in private practice I developed a passion working with adolescents and young adults, assisting them through the various transitions they may go through throughout this time. I work with areas of self-esteem, anxiety, depression, communication/interpersonal difficulties, time management and organization as well as goal development for the future.

In addition to teens/young adults I also specialize in working with parents to achieve their parenting goals and to develop a more comprehensive understanding of their children’s behaviors and ways to respond. I provide psychoeducation on how children’s brains respond and adapt to different situations and environments and equip parents with tools to identify these patterns, connect and co-regulate, and nurture their relationship with their children to increase their child’s capacity for behavioral control.

While I have adapted an eclectic approach to therapy, integrating treatments that work for the individual needs of my client, I place a strong emphasis on mind/body connection. I work through this somatic, body lens to create awareness, and gain control and understanding of the ways our nervous system interacts with the people and world around us. I integrate cognitive behavioral, and emotion focused techniques throughout my work with clients to address worry thoughts, negative self-talk and emotional reactivity.

When I am not providing therapy, you can usually find me doing something outdoors, especially in the hot summer months! I have 2 young kids that keep me busy, and a growing collection of pets (somebody stop me). Shyla is my oldest furbaby, and she sometimes makes an appearance in my telehealth sessions. My self-care essentials are immersing myself in a good book or TV series (all genres welcome here), or dancing around to loud, explicit music in the kitchen. I value humor, red wine, sarcasm, and board games and firmly believe cheese goes with everything.