Lauren
Hutchinson
Counselor specializing in
Twice-Exceptional (2E) Children, Teens, Young Adults, and their Families
Welcome! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, parent of twice exceptional young adults, and have worked as a school counselor for students identified with high cognitive potential for eight years. I get bright, complicated kids and families! I provide a blend of individual and family support to help families navigate the emotional, social, and educational landscape of twice-exceptionality, where kids have both advanced abilities and lagging skills because of anxiety, executive functioning challenges, ADHD, autism, and learning differences.
My gentle therapy dog Kodi attends sessions.
We look forward to seeing you!
Services
----Individual and Family Counseling
----SPACE Treatment for Anxiety
----Parent Consultation
----School Planning and Advocacy
----Public Speaking
Individual and Family Counseling
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Child Mental Health Specialist (CMHS). A portion of my practice is dedicated to providing in-person counseling for children, teens, young adults, and families to address school-based challenges, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, focus and attention, and friendship struggles. I use strengths-based, evidence-based (CBT and ACT), neuroscience-informed, culturally-responsive and neurodiversity-affirming approaches tailored to each individual. I provide a safe space for kids and teens who identify as non-binary or transgender.
Parent Consultation
I am not just a counselor, but also a parent of twice-exceptional humans. I get it! It's often a bumpy road where just as we figure something out, our child's develop throws us a curveball. I provide parent coaching via Telehealth to individuals, couples, and small groups so you don't have to go it alone. Sharing wisdom (and pitfalls!) is one of the most valuable parts of this journey.
SPACE Parent Training to Support Child Anxiety (by Telehealth)
In 2020 I completed a multi-day training by Eli Lebowitz, PhD, with the Yale Child Study Center, to provide parents an effective option for treating their child's anxiety that doesn't require the child's participation. Research shows children with an anxiety disorder whose parents participated in 12 sessions of SPACE were as likely to overcome their anxiety disorder as children who participated in 12 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the well-established evidence-based treatment for child anxiety.
School Planning and Advocacy Services
As a counselor at a K-8 school for children identified with high intellectual potential for eight years, I have seen what does and doesn't work in a school environment to help twice-exceptional children thrive. I can provide advocacy at your current school or help you explore new, more responsive learning environments. I have helped some families develop a "hybrid" approach to education that incorporates a variety of elements including traditional school, online classes, and interest-based enrichment opportunities. Our children are uniquely wired, and having an educational plan that acknowledges that can optimize their potential and allow their love of learning to fluorish.
Public Speaking
I offer public speaking engagements to parent and educator audiences on topics related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality. Specific topics include Asynchronous Development and Overexcitabilities in Gifted Children, Working with Demand Avoidance in the Educational Setting, Helping Children and Teens with Anxiety and Perfectionism, Improving Executive Functioning in 2e Teens, and The Thriving Child and Teen: Brain-based Approaches to Success. I have provided talks for Issaquah School District's Parentwiser program and the Lake Washington School District PTSA. I am a parent coach for and a frequent contributor to Bright and Quirky, a national online 2e parent community. Please contact me for references and how to customize a talk for your audience.
Contact Me
Let's talk! Email me below to schedule a chat to see if I am a good fit for your child and family's needs. I see clients in-person on Mondays in my Bellevue office and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in my Issaquah office. I do parent consultations through Telehealth on Thursdays and Fridays.
My standard rate is $160 per hour (50 minute session). I am not taking insurance at this time, but can provide a superbill (with an applicable diagnosis) which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please check your insurance company's 'Out of Network' benefits before our first session to understand their reimbursement policy. I do not guarantee reimbursement.
To make a payment, use the following secure link:
Mondays:
Park Heights Building
1800 112th Ave NE, #240W
Bellevue, WA 98004
Tuesdays and Wednesdays:
Brookside Commons Building
310 3rd Ave NE, #104
Issaquah, WA 98027