Faq

I have a location in East Austin and part-time office space for when I’m in Atlanta (Decatur area).

My license is issued in the State of Georgia. Therefore, I provide traditional psychotherapy to Georgia residents and Therapeutic Relationship and Sex Coaching to all interested clients, including in-person in Austin.

They’re quite flexible! I offer morning, afternoon, and evening sessions depending on the day and how booked I am.

Typically, the first session availability I have is at 10:00am, and my last session in the evening is at 7:30pm. I finish by 4:00pm on Fridays, and I’m off on Saturdays. I also offer sessions on most Sundays for convenience.

Just contact me, and we’ll find a time that works!

I travel to Atlanta once a month, typically at the beginning of the month and with limited availability.

But please let me know if you’d like to meet! If we can’t meet in the upcoming month, we can look at the following month, but many of my Atlanta clients enjoy working with me via video session.

Yes! I offer virtual therapy via video using the most secure video platform that’s also HIPAA (the federal law protecting your health information). It’s like a super encrypted version of Skype.

Sessions are 50 minutes. The first session sometimes lasts a few extra minutes but typically doesn’t run over an hour.

In some circumstances we can plan ahead of time for a 75-minute session or, if needed on some occasions, I’ll offer a 25-minute mini-session.

Most clients meet every week or every other week.

The work is most effective in those cases. For some, we do a monthly session, and I have some clients who come in every couple of months for maintenance.

I’ll suggest what’s best for you once I understand your particular situation.

No. I find that each client has different needs, and often that does not match up with insurance companies’ ideas of what a client needs. Our time could be limited by the amount of time insurance gives us, and some of what I treat will often not be covered anyway.

However, if you are treated by me in Georgia (even over video), I can give you a “superbill,” which is a fancy-ish way of saying a receipt with certain codes on it that can be submitted to insurance for reimbursement.

Simply fill out the contact form to let me know you’d like to meet! Or you can call and leave a message letting me know.

Yes, I offer a free 20-minute phone consultation during which we can decide if we’re a good fit.

I ask for 24 hours’ notice if you won’t be able to make it to our session.

If you don’t show up or don’t give me a full day’s notice, I do charge your card the full session fee.

However, if you realize your schedule is changing, let me know because sometimes I have availability a couple hours later or in the next day or so. If we can meet easily within the same week, I will not charge you the cancellation fee.

I typically work with adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. If you’re outside of that age range and still want to work with me, though, feel free to contact me. I don’t work with anyone under the age of 18, though.

Yes!

Yes!

Yes!

Of course!

I work with men who are in relationship therapy and attend sessions with their partners but, no, I typically don’t see men individually.

I have some awesome colleagues who’d love to work with you, though, so reach out, and I’ll help you find the right fit.

Yes! I’m poly-knowledgeable and poly-friendly.

Sessions are catered specifically to your needs.

In some instances we’ll follow a specific structure, working toward a goal. For others, we go where the energy of the session takes us. Often, there’s a good mix of both.

Most of the time once you’ve arrived, and I’ve offered you water, tea, or (sometimes, if your’e lucky) sparkling water, I’ll ask you to “check in.” During that time you can tell me what you’re feeling in the moment, how your day is going, what is new today that was different the last time we spoke, what you really need to talk about, or that you don’t know what to talk about—really anything that helps land you in the room. Then we’ll go from there.

We’ll go at your pace. For some folks, we spend a portion of the session in meditation. For others we go over what you’ve been working on or going through. We’ll collaborate as I make specific suggestions, or we may do experiential exercises to promote healing.

Some clients come in and vent about how annoying “Sharon from work” is being. And that’s ok, too. You’ll feel listened to, empathized with, and gently challenged. Check out my “About” page to get more of a feel of what it’s like.

I began practicing psychotherapy in 2008, and I can’t imagine working in another field. Maaaybe hand modeling but, no, really, this is truly my calling.

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Georgia, and I am currently pursuing the same license in Texas. For graduate school, I lived in Philadelphia where I trained at the first counseling firm in the nation and specialized in sex therapy at their sex therapy institute. I learned how to use Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in my own life and with clients.

After graduation I worked with women and couples in Fairhope (Alabama) and Atlanta, first in group practices and then ventured out on my own.

I am also a certified yoga instructor, trained at an urban ashram, but don’t worry…I won’t make you sit and chant “ommmm” with me or anything like that. Unless you really want to do that!

If you want to read even more about my background, you can do so on my “About” page.

My legal name is Lauren, and many doctors who refer you to me will call me Lauren. You’re welcome to call me that. Also, my Marriage and Family Therapy License is listed under Lauren.

Dassy is my spiritual nickname, which most people call me. It’s pronounced like Dossie, and I usually tell people it rhymes with posse not sassy. It’s a shortened version of my Hebrew name that I was given as a baby, Hadassah Sarah.

I’d love for you to call me Dassy, as it rings truer in my spirit. If that’s too “woo woo” for you, no worries!

And feel free to let me know what you want me to call YOU!

Great question! I don’t touch my clients unless it’s a consensual hug, usually at the beginning or end of the session.

If you’re in a couple’s session, you may be invited to touch your partner (with their consent!), but any touching in session between partners is always non-genital. It will likely only be the touching of hands or a hug. Sometimes if there’s a beautiful moment, partners may spontaneously give each other a kiss, and that is fine. But if you start having a hardcore makeout session, I will ask you to press pause and continue at home!

The large majority of touching will occur outside of sessions, at your own pace, with your partner or yourself.

Yes, you will, although you’re welcome to take your shoes off and are encouraged to make yourself comfortable.

Yes! That will not bother me. But if you feel self-conscious and want to put them back on, that is fine, too.

Haha, no. You do you. You’ll find that I’m usually in fuzzy socks, though.

Wear whatever you’re comfortable in or what you’re already wearing, whether that’s work clothes, sweaty workout clothes, sweatpants and no makeup, or full drag and a tiara.

No, I have plenty of tissues for you.

I do if it makes sense for our work—especially if you find it to be helpful.

If you don’t like “homework,” I can give you a “focus” for the week.

I typically like for you to have some sort of a takeaway from the session, whether that is structured homework or not.

First of all, thanks for the random movie reference! Love that.

To answer the question, I do talk, although you’ll do most of it.

I’ll ask you questions, empathize with you, explain methods and concepts, and make suggestions. There are times I’ll be very quiet, though, allowing you to deepen. You’ll know that I’m right there with you, as I’m engaged with you the whole time.

Yes!

I love working with people in recovery. I don’t, however, have an expertise working with folks in active addiction, so I’m no help there.

This is a complicated question to answer, so I’ve posted my professional association’s official position on sex addiction.

If you still have questions, feel free to contact me.

Of course! Talking about sex can be funny, and I’ll giggle right along with you.

I wish! She is a fictional character, but I’ve had folks tell me that we have similar mannerisms. Oh, and they pronounce it like MAY-zle, and I pronounce it like May-ZELL.

Haha yes, I’m Jewish and, yes, I work with people who practice other faiths, and folks who are atheist and agnostic. I easily balance my expertise with your values.

Most of my clients are not Jewish (hello, we’re in the South!), and don’t worry, I will not try to convert you to Judaism. That’s not really a thing we do (see “Sex and the City,” Season 6, Episode 2 to learn more).