General Info
the hard season
will
split you through.
​
there will be scorching.
but do not worry.
because the soft season will come.
​
--- therapy
edited from salt. by nayyirah waheed
Hello, my name is Dr. Lauren Hayes, and I am a clinical psychologist licensed in both WA and NY. If you would like more information about the technical stuff, like my education or the types of therapy I'm trained in, you'll find that under practice info below. Since research shows the relationship with your therapist is a crucial factor, I also want to share a little about me as a person.
My Background
I was raised in the Deep South according to very traditional gender beliefs and was actually warned against going into psychology (clearly, that warning didn't work). My journey to being a queer, feminist-oriented therapist was long, but I continue to strive every day to deconstruct beliefs that lead to me making myself smaller and to embrace all parts of me, not just the socially acceptable ones. I am both excited and honored to support other women in their journey to do the same.
​​
I am a proper cat lady, with two cats who often like to join me for virtual sessions from home. I currently live in the Pacific Northwest but am moving to the greater Rochester area in the summer of 2026.
Therapeutic approach is a fancy term for my internal framework that influences how I approach therapy. Underlying my therapeutic approach is my belief that all people have parts and that no part of you is inherently bad, wrong, or broken. Some parts of you do, however, need guidance or change, and this can only be accomplished with a foundation of compassion and curiosity.
Therapeutic Approach
The most important thing to know about my specific approach is that I am a feminist-oriented therapist, and I use that framework with all of my clients. Most people have never heard of feminist therapy, and in fact, I didn't set out to be a feminist therapist. Over time this changed as I sat in my office with dozens of women who all thought something was wrong with them - when in fact they were having a perfectly healthy reaction to mistreatment or oppression.
Feminist-oriented means I help you make sense of your experience in a way that acknowledges how living as a woman (and/or other marginalized individual) in a patriarchal society can impact your mental health. We do work together to identify any reactions that are problematic on your end, so you can learn new skills or address symptoms interfering in your life. But we also work on identifying when what you're thinking or doing isn't the problem and focus instead on how to cope with those situations to make them less distressing.
Education:
BS from The University of Alabama
MA & PhD from The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Pre-doctoral internship: Southern Arizona VA
Post-doctoral trauma fellowship: Southern Arizona VA
Practice Info
Evidence-Based Therapies Offered:
CBT, MCBT, ACT, DBT,
CPT, PE, STAIR/NST,
Seeking Safety, COPE​
Informally Trained/Can Incorporate: IFS, RO-DBT
Experience Working with Clients Who Are:
LGBTQ+; formerly religious;
survivors of trauma and violence;
military, including both active duty and veterans;
health professionals, including doctors, nurses, or therapists
Image Credits (top to bottom): Unsplash | Hans; Jamie Street; Tyler Delgado