Lauren Ripley , LPC

Lauren Ripley is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Missouri who brings a practical, approachable style to therapy. With a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Stephen F. Austin State University (2016), she combines academic training with hands-on experience across college counseling centers, rehabilitation programs for substance use, and private practice settings. Her background includes work with depression, suicide and self-harm concerns, anxiety, addiction, sexuality and LGBTQ issues, trauma, family conflict, and relationship challenges.

Lauren favors a flexible, multi-faceted method that centers on being relatable, personal, and straightforward. She values transparency in sessions and aims to guide, support, and validate each person’s experience while encouraging empowerment. Her work highlights clients’ strengths and personal resources, using those foundations to pursue meaningful goals. Lauren emphasizes that the individual is the expert on their life and she serves as a collaborative partner, bringing clarity, practical tools, and, where appropriate, positivity and humor to help make life feel more manageable.

Throughout her career she has supported people facing grief, self-esteem struggles, ADHD, stress, anxiety, addiction, intimacy issues, eating concerns, anger, and compassion fatigue, among other challenges. Lauren’s clinical approach is intentionally adaptable so the therapeutic process can be tailored to each person’s needs and preferences.

Approach-Focused Care Delivered Online

Lauren Ripley integrates evidence-informed methods to guide online work in ways that fit each person’s goals. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps individuals clarify personal values and build psychological flexibility - useful for anxiety, stress, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and collaboration so that clients feel understood and can explore identity, relationships, and self-esteem at their own pace. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers concrete strategies to identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors, which can be effective for depression, anxiety, and many daily challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Lauren works collaboratively to determine what fits best based on each person’s needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts methods over time, combining elements when helpful, and invites clients into the decision-making process.

Online therapy with Lauren can take place through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it possible to maintain continuity of care from home or while traveling and to choose the format that supports engagement and progress.