Lauren VanDrunen, LMSW

Lauren is a fully licensed social worker. For the last five years, she worked in a preschool setting as an early childhood behavior specialist. Lauren has worked with children with anger, attachment, and developmental concerns among other behavioral and emotional challenges. She is passionate about working with children and their families, particularly helping children develop healthy social/emotional skills. Lauren believes it is critical to meet children where they are at, and to create an individualized plan to help them grow. Her work is focused on fostering skill development in children while helping their families understand and respond to their children’s concerns. Lauren uses a variety of interventions built upon the foundation of therapeutic relationships. Interventions include positive behavior supports, individualized activities to develop social/emotional skills, mindfulness techniques, play therapy techniques, and conscious discipline skills. She values a team approach and desires to assist the adults in a child’s life to offer support to their children as they strive to reach their goals.

Lauren grew up in a small town in mid-Michigan and moved to Grand Rapids in 2010. She currently lives in Rockford with her husband, baby boy, dog, and three cats. She enjoys spending time with family, travelling, walking local trails, baking, and crocheting.