Lauren O’Connor, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Supervising Psychologist
Midtown + Virtual
I approach psychotherapy as a collaborative journey toward deeper understanding and meaning. I emphasize building an authentic relationship in which we can wonder together and explore who you are, what hurts, and what you truly want. Through this honest exchange, I aim to help you approach difficult truths, tap into unspoken desires, and move toward more genuine and meaningful ways of being with yourself and others. My approach is warm and interactive, and I value the importance of humor and creativity in the therapeutic process.
I work primarily from a relational psychodynamic framework in order to develop a deeper understanding of your relationship to self and others and move toward lasting change. I pay close attention to thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations that arise during sessions in attempts to deepen this understanding and to facilitate mind-body integration. I aim to understand your unique psychological and interpersonal experiences and find it critical to situate this within a sociocultural and identity-based context. In both clinical work and research, I have specialized experience on the impacts of varying forms of intersectional oppression, with a particular emphasis on LGBTQIA+ individuals. I work with adults and adolescents with a wide range of emotional and interpersonal challenges, including but not limited to, trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, relational conflict, addiction, and existential questions.
Training
I received my M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice/CUNY Graduate Center. During my training, I held clinical positions at the Brooklyn VA, BronxCare Health System, Lenox Hill Hospital, and New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at Bellevue Hospital Center.