Lauren Van Laare
Registered Psychotherapist (Q)
RP(Q), CRPO #19404
Virtual sessions available
About Lauren
"Reaching out can often feel like the hardest step. You don't need to have everything figured out — therapy is a space where, together, we can gently explore what brought you here and what support might look like for you."
Lauren is particularly passionate about supporting children and adolescents with anxiety, self-esteem challenges, and psychoeducation — helping them better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. She also welcomes adults motivated to create meaningful change.
Who she works with:
- Children and teens—navigating anxiety, self-esteem challenges, school stress, or major life changes
- Young adults—motivated to build self-awareness and meaningful change
- Adults—working through anxiety, depression, life transitions, or stress at work and home
Christian Counselling on Request
For Christian clients who want it, Lauren can integrate prayer, Scripture, and biblical principles into the therapeutic work. The clinical care is the same either way — Christian counselling is offered when you want it, and always client-led.
What Working Together Feels Like
Sessions with Lauren feel collaborative, supportive, and grounded in genuine curiosity. She creates a space where clients feel deeply heard, understood, and comfortable exploring their experiences openly.
Not sure where to begin? That's okay—reaching out is often the hardest step.
You don't have to have everything figured out. Therapy is a space where, together, we can gently explore what's brought you here and what support might look like for you.
What You'll Gain
In the first several sessions, clients can expect to:
Training & Approach
- Master of Divinity in Clinical Counselling — Tyndale University
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology — Wilfrid Laurier University
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Narrative Therapy
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
My Approach
Therapy offers an opportunity to better understand your experiences, your patterns, and the challenges you want to change. Together, we explore barriers, identify existing strengths, and develop effective strategies to help you move toward your preferred future.
Your First Session
- → An opportunity to get to know you — both your concerns and who you are beyond them
- → We'll explore what brought you to therapy and clarify your goals
- → Begin envisioning what life might look like with those challenges better managed
Lauren believes meaningful change often happens between sessions. She may suggest simple, manageable reflections or skill-based practices to reinforce progress in everyday life.
Common Questions
Do you work with children?
Yes — supporting children and teens (ages 7 to 17) is one of Lauren's areas of particular focus. She has a strong ability to connect with kids and adolescents and understands the unique challenges they face today.
How does virtual therapy actually work for a child?
Better than most parents expect. Lauren works with kids and teens entirely online, and she has a small toolkit of warm, age-appropriate ways to connect through a screen. For younger children, that might look like shared drawing on a digital whiteboard, picture-based feeling cards, simple games, or storytelling prompts they can play along with at home. For older kids and teens, it's often closer to a real conversation, with the option to share something they made between sessions or use shared notes when words are hard. Many families find virtual sessions are actually easier on a child than driving to an office — your child stays in the comfort of their own room, doesn't have to mask through a waiting area, and can keep a favourite blanket or stuffed animal nearby. You'll set up the device and the quiet space, and Lauren takes it from there.
Is therapy clinical or Christian counselling?
Both are available. For Christian clients who want it, Lauren can include prayer, Scripture, and biblical principles. Otherwise the work is fully clinical — same training, same care.
What if my concern is "small"?
Anxiety, stress, self-esteem, life adjustments, relationship questions — none of these are too small. If something is weighing on you, it's worth exploring.
Ready to Connect?
Book a free 15-minute consultation to see if working with Lauren feels right.
Book Free Consultation